Since it was first announced by Polestar this past June, I’ve been excited for an opportunity to get behind the wheel of its hand-tuned, performance-focused Polestar 2 BST edition 270. As the name of this elevated dual-motor EV eludes, only 270 units were made, and I was fortunate enough to test one out through the woods and beaches of Northern California. Here’s how it went.
The Polestar 2 BST edition 270 was first announced this past summer, as the fairly young EV automaker saw an opportunity to expand its tuning and performance engineering within its vehicles, particular the Polestar 2.
According to company CEO Thomas Ingenlath, a modified version of the Polestar 2 received such excellent feedback at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed, that the team knew it had to develop and sell a high-performance version and test the market’s appetite.
Considering all 270 units have been spoken for, I’d say Polestar is onto something. Still, the BST edition 270 is not a complete overhaul of the dual-motor Polestar 2. However, the automaker’s attention to detail and slight tweaks here and there demonstrate that it not only knows how to make beautiful, sustainable vehicles, but it’s no stranger to track-ready performance, either.
Here are some images I snapped along my journey, then we can chat about my drive experience in the Polestar 2 BST edition 270 itself.
First impressions of the Polestar 2 BST edition 270
Before we went out on our excursion south of the Bay Area, Polestar’s head of product attributes Christian Samson walked us around the BST edition, explaining there’s a lot going on beneath its custom exterior, complete with a racing stripe.
The Polestar team was the first to admit this is a true “electric driver’s car,” elevating the performance and handling of an already powerful EV, but more so for roads the average person might encounter rather than a speedway or test track. I truly felt this in each and very turn, but more on that later.
All 270 of these BST edition Polestar 2s start as regular dual-motor versions on the standard assembly line before they are moved to Polestar’s dedicated production center and customized with expert tuning and handling. Here are some of those customized adjustments:
- Added performance software to up output to 476 hp (350 kW) and 502 lb ft (680 Nm) of torque These are increased of 16.7% and 3.1% respectively compared to the Polestar 2 Dual Motor, all while using the same 78 kWh battery. The result is Polestar’s most powerful EV to date
- 21-inch lightweight performance wheels made from forged aluminum, with staggered widths (8 inches in the front and 9 in the rear) to optimize contact patch and aggressive suspension tuning. The wheels are equipped with high-performance P Zero summer tires from Pirelli.
- Cross-drilled brake rotors and 4-piston Brembo calipers.
- Öhlins 2-way adjustable Dual Flow Valve (DFV) dampers with remote front oil reservoirs (seen below).
- Adjustable needle-valve circuit manages low-speed damping for conditions found in city driving.
- At higher damper speeds (more aggressive driving), oil flows through a non-adjustable internal shimmed piston valve, providing necessary firmness, stability and control.
- Öhlins DFV benefits include more consistent tire contact with the road, improved control of body roll, and overall better chassis stability.
- Front strut-tower brace, improving stiffness of the front suspension mounts during racetrack style driving while maintaining steering accuracy and feel under the most severe dynamic conditions.
Samson explained to us that the BST edition 270 rides an entire inch (25 mm) lower than the base Polestar 2, which was difficult to adjust vehicle dynamics, for considering that’s quite a drop from a tuning perspective. That being said, the lower center of gravity provides optimal handling, something I truly felt on the winding roads outside of San Francisco.
The Polestar 2 BST edition 270 felt like driving in cursive
First off, kudos to the Polestar team who found us a long and winding route through the beautiful forests of the Bay Area to truly open these Polestar 2 BST editions up, without many other cars (especially those ones with sirens on their roofs).
You may recall I recently borrowed the 2023 Polestar 2 Dual Motor and was pleasantly surprised at how much more powerful it was than the single motor version I drove earlier this year. Well let me tell you, the upgrades to overall speed an acceleration in the BST edition may not knock you out of your chair, but the focus on comfortable handling and stability at high speeds was incredible.
Christian Samson told me that many people find the BST edition very quick to get comfortable with, and I can confirm. Driving on the highways to our first stop was your typical route – smooth lane changes, better than average acceleration, but just felt like a well-equipped EV.
However, once I got up alone in the forest and gained a feel for the roads, I couldn’t believe how comfortable I suddenly became pushing the performance of the Polestar 2 at every turn. Halfway through my journey, I ended up on the coast where I was able to stop and snap some of the images you see above. I skipped the interior since its unchanged compared to the dual motor Polestar 2, but you can see of the the exterior and performance details for sure.
That’s all good and well, but you truly have to feel this ride for yourself to really grasp how smooth it is. On the way back, I surprised even myself how attentive I was about each turn and where I had opportunities to accelerate further, rather than worrying about slowing down so the shiny side of the EV stayed upright.
I got to a point where I didn’t have to think – the vehicle and I were one and it moved with grace around each and every turn and accelerated at my whim on every straightaway. Samson described it as a feeling of skiing, and I think that’s a perfect description of the sensation.
I personally would describe the ride of the Polestar 2 BST edition 270 as “driving in cursive.” It may not be the fastest pen in the drawer, but you can carve out a beautiful driving language on any road under any conditions, thanks to its adjustable dampers and bolstered suspension.
Overall thoughts
First and foremost, the Polestar 2 BST edition 270 was designed for track-driving, but it’s not necessarily a track vehicle in my opinion. It could perform well of course, but it’s not a race winner. Nor is it trying to be. The Polestar team took its pride and passion in EVs and combined it with its previous love of tuning and performance from the combustion world.
The result is a truly pleasurable, elevated driving experience for the EV enthusiast. If you’re doing hot laps on a daily basis, you may be underwhelmed by this vehicle. However, if you love EVs but want a bit of a sportier ride to get that adrenaline going, the Polestar 2 BST edition 270 can deliver and then some. I’m by no means a professional race driver, so this EV was perfect for me since it made me feel like one.
It starts at an MSRP of $75,500, but as I mentioned is entirely sold out. In talking with the Polestar team, the quick sellout of the Polestar 2 BST edition 270 is encouraging and has given them even more confidence in developing and selling future performance versions of its vehicles. What that next tuned model will be remains uncertain, but I’d bet Polestar looks to see how it can improve dynamics even further to deliver something that’s even more exciting to drive. Trust that I’ll be there ready to try it out and share it with you all. Be well until then.
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