With no rear windscreen, the Polestar 4 is a car famed for what it hasn't got rather than what it has, the Swedish EV swapping rear-facing glass for a camera and a panoramic roof that sweeps behind the shoulders of back-seat passengers. Thursday marked the public's first opportunity to see the car for themselves.
Polestar didn't just remove the rear window for the hell of it; doing so has improved its aerodynamics, allowing it to squeeze as many miles as possible for its big 102kWh battery. It will get up to 373 miles from a charge in long-range guise.
The car tackling Goodwood Hill was the high-performance version, with twin electric motors sending 544PS (400kW) combined to all four wheels, translating to 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds.
That acceleration was there for all to see as the Polestar scrabbled off the line and gobbled up the straights with gleeful abandonment.
The Polestar 4 might be a practical family SUV, but it also proved to be handy in the corners, with just enough roll to help it lean into bends. The run was otherwise uneventful, the only noise being the sound of the fast Swede's shapely form driving itself through the air.
Inside, the Polestar is glorious in its simplicity, with recycled materials used throughout, and a pair of large infotainment screens help keep the overall look sharp and clean.
Sounds like your cup of tea? The Polestar 4 is already available to configure with prices starting from £59,990 for the long-range rear-wheel drive model or £66,990 for the all-wheel drive performance model. First deliveries are due early next year.
The 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed is underway, and you can watch every moment of the action on our live stream right here on GRR!
Photography courtesy of Peter Summers
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