Polestar to unveil performance coupe

POLESTAR has teased what looks to be its own performance coupe model on social media, months after announcing it was splitting from Volvo to create a stand-alone sub-brand of electrified performance vehicles.

While no details have yet emerged for the as-yet-unnamed coupe other than its reveal on October 17, the series of close-up photos reveals a rear-end design reminiscent of the Volvo Concept Coupe released ahead of the 2013 Frankfurt motor show.

The Polestar model looks to share the same C-shaped tail-lights and muscular rear bumper as the Concept Coupe, as well as a low, wide stance.

Adding to the speculation that the Polestar model will draw from the Volvo concept is the Volvo’s front fascia, which previewed the current-generation S90 sedan and the Swedish brand’s current design language.

With no two-door models in Volvo’s line-up, it is unclear what underpinnings the Polestar model will use, but the most likely donor platform is Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture platform – first used in 2014 on the XC90, and rolled out across all other 90-series vehicles, as well as the smaller XC60 medium SUV.

Despite no longer wearing the Volvo badge, Polestar has said its models will continue to share their underpinnings with Volvo models.

No details have emerged on what powerplant will be used on the Polestar coupe, however when the split from Volvo was announced in June, it said it would be making “electrified” vehicles, denoting either a hybrid or full electric vehicle (EV) drivetrain.

The teaser images seem to have deliberately left out the area covering the Polestar’s tailpipes, which therefore give no hint as to whether it will use pure-electric or hybrid power.

Given that Volvo doesn’t currently offer any fully electric models, the most likely powerplant for the coupe would be the XC90-derived T8 hybrid driveline, which teams a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined output of 300kW/640Nm.

Polestar also offers a performance optimisation package which boosts output to 314kW/680Nm, which would most likely be used on the coupe.

Curiously, the Volvo concept used the same powerplant with an output of 300kW/600Nm, two years before it cropped up on the production version of the XC90.

Polestar was first acquired by Volvo in 2015, after starting out as an independently-owned Volvo touring car team which also tried its hand at modifying Volvo road cars in Sweden.

It was first officially approached by Volvo in 2010 to develop hi-po variants to be sold through Volvo, with Australia receiving the turbo inline-six S60 Polestar in mid-2013.

The Polestar optimisation packages mentioned above are still being sold through Volvo despite the split, but will be renamed to Polestar Engineered.

GoAuto has contacted Volvo Australia for local details regarding the Polestar coupe.