Exclusive look at the new all-electric Polestar 4 coupe SUV with range of 600kms

Polestar, the electric performance arm of Volvo, have added to their line up with a blistering Coupe SUV.

Simply called the Polestar 4 it will be positioned in between the 2 and the recently launched 3 crossover in terms of size and price.

Making its international debut today at the Shanghai Motor Show, the full-fat all -wheel drive version boasts a face-peeling 544bhp and a stonking 686Nm of torque.

That level of grunt will see this hulking machine (2.3 tonnes in all) rocket to 100kph in just 3.8 seconds.

There is a more civilised long range single motor which generates 272bhp and comes with a claimed range of 600kms (WLTP). It’s super quick sibling will cover 560kms on a single charge.

Taking design cues first seen on their concept cars, the new offering sits at 4,839mm long, 2,939mm wide and 1,544mm high.

It boasts a wheelbase of 2,999mm — meaning it has a higher ground clearance than the 2 and is shorter and smaller than the 3.

One love it or loath it element may be the absence of a rear window which Polestar claim “enables a new kind of immersive rear occupant experience.” Because of this quirk the rear-view mirror is replaced by a high-definition screen that shows a real-time feed from a roof-mounted rear camera.

This, say their engineers, enables a far wider field of view than what can be experienced in most modern cars. The digital feed can be deactivated to allow drivers to instead see rear occupants if needed.

A swooping bonnet, sloping roof coupled with flush door handles ensures that the D segment motor is super aerodynamic with a leading drag coefficient of 0.269.

Distinctive LED lights front and rear give it real stand out from the crowd appeal and there is a option to up grade the alloys from the standard 20 inch to 22 inch rims.

Inside the cabin space is not compromised and the boot will easily swallow 500 litres of luggage which trebles to 1,536L with the rear seats folded flat. There’s also an extra 15 litres in the frunk (front trunk) should you need it.

Like the rest of the line-up the interior is sumptuous with wall-to-wall faux leather while the cockpit is unmistakable Polestar. The predominately digital dash is minimalist affair and easy to navigate. Taking pride of place in the centre console is the gargantuan 15.4-inch i-Pad like screen which is home to the car’s infotainment system.

With Google built-in, including Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play it is one of the most connected vehicles on the market today.

A Harman Kardon audio system is available as an option with 12 speakers and 1,400-Watt channel-hybrid amplifier. An additional two headrest speakers are added to each front seat with the optional Nappa Pack– raising the total to 16.

Being of Volvo descent, safety is part of Polestar’s DNA so it has no fewer than nine airbags as standard.

Other state of the art tech include the SuperVision Advanced Driver Assistance System from Mobileye.

It is controlled by a total of 12 cameras, one radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors fitted as standard. They include a driver monitoring camera, which only relays data to monitor the driver’s eyes and head movements to help avoid incidents caused by fatigue or incapacitation.

Together with hands-on detection in the steering wheel, the driver monitoring system helps to keep the driver to stay alert.

New from the ground up and sitting on its parent company’ Geely’s SEA platform, the Polestar 4 promises 50/50 weight distribution — boosting handling and agility.

The 102 kWh battery is sandwiched in the floor and is fitted to both Long-Range versions. In the Dual Motor a disconnect clutch allows the car to disengage the front electric motor when not needed, to maximise range and efficiency.

The 400V lithium-ion pack is capable charging at up to 200kWh which means it can achieve 80pc top-up in just 32 minutes. Juicing it up from a domestic wall box will take less than five and a half hours.

Due to go into production early next year, Polestar are keeping schtum on the price, but a little bird tells us that it could start at around €60,000.