Gorgeous Swedish drop top a sell out

UNSURPRISING was the overwhelming response to the sensationally styled Polestar 6 hard top roadster/convertible displayed as a part of Monterey Car Week at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. The pure electric LA Concept Edition sold out all 500 build slot reservations in the week of the event that ran late last month in the US

This was the public debut of the electric roadster concept in North America and all reservations were made online within a week of Polestar’s production announcement. Potential buyers will have to wait until an expected launch date in 2026 for their exclusive initial version of Polestar 6 that will be available in the ‘unique’ Sky blue exterior – and feature many other key elements of the Polestar O2 concept car first shown in March 2022.

“The high interest from our customers shows that a stunning electric roadster like Polestar 6 has high relevance in the sports car arena,” said Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “The open-top-plus-electric combination is clearly one that appeals to even the most die-hard petrol heads.”

The confirmation of Polestar 6 is an indication that pure electric vehicles will not be limited to mainstream configurations and that there’s still life in the “sports car.” Hard top convertibles have been readily available for years with perhaps one of the most notable being Mercedes-Benz SLK that featured a resin Vario Roof that folded and stowed electrically behind the two seats.

Many drop top sports cars now feature a similar system including BMW’s Z4, the Mercedes-Benz SLC Roadster, Ferrari Portofino, BMW 4 Series, Ferrari 488, McLaren 570S Spider even the humble Mazda MX-5 RF.

The production car commencement date is expected to be some time in late 2025 for 2026 availability with the car officially dubbed… the Polestar 6 electric performance roadster.

“With overwhelming consumer and press response, we took the decision to put this stunning roadster into production and I am so excited to make it a reality,” said Mr Ingenlath. “Polestar 6 is a perfect combination of powerful electric performance and the thrill of fresh air with the top down.”

The initial concept vehicle was revealed in Los Angeles in March as the Polestar O2 followed by the Precept and the production version of Polestar 6 will build on that car’s design, technology and sustainability ambitions. The hard-top convertible will be built on Polestar’s bespoke (custom made) bonded aluminium platform, a bit like Lotus.

Developed in-house, it will feature the high-performance, 800-volt electric architecture already confirmed for Polestar 5. This includes output of up to 650kW (884hp) and 900Nm from a dual motor powertrain, a targeted 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h.

Along with the striking blue exterior, the first batch of Polestar 6 will feature a light leather interior and 21-inch wheels inspired by the original Polestar O2 concept, a car whose exterior was influenced by aerospace design, both aesthetically and aerodynamically.

Rather than resort to outlandish wings or spoilers, Polestar O2 featured integrated aero ducts in the wheel arches and rear lights that double as air blades. Stiff, responsive, and incredibly light the uni-body of Polestar O2 and Polestar 6 is made from different grades of anodised aluminium, bonded by adhesive and oven cured, with a highly favourable strength-to-weight ratio.

Apart from enhancing performance, the bonded aluminium allows for more design flexibility, catering to different wheelbases while maintaining precision and a detail-obsessed focus. The interior of the Polestar O2 takes all the advancements made with Precept and applies them to a roadster. It features a contextualised infotainment system that adapts to the driver’s movements, woven flax composite panels, 3D knit upholstery and other sustainable material innovations.

With Polestar 6 now included in its portfolio, Polestar plans to launch four new EVs within five years – stronger and faster than any other EV start-up on the market today. This begins with the world debut of the company’s first electric performance SUV – Polestar 3 – in October 2022.

Following the Polestar 3 is the planned introduction of the Polestar 4 electric performance SUV coupe in 2023 and Polestar 5, the electric performance four-door GT based on the Precept concept car, in 2024.

Further technical details and specification confirmations will be released as the production car becomes reality, leading up to the expected launch in 2026.