This one-of-a-kind Polestar 2 Arctic Circle is a modified ice-drift machine with 469 horsepower

Working for a large manufacturer entails extreme-weather testing, with durability engineers frequently observed grinding their way around the world in camouflaged prototypes clad in dubious 'camouflage,' from Death Valley to the Arctic Circle.
They spend thousands of hours checking what falls off and what goes wrong with calibrated equipment - hardly the most attractive of jobs.
To put it bluntly, it's not often that engineers are given the freedom to... go a little crazy.

The car's higher ride height (by 30mm) and OZ Racing rally wheels, which are shod in custom-made 4mm studded tyres, are the first things you'll notice.
For that rally-car feel, there are 30% softer springs with remote reservoirs crammed in there, paired with three-way hlins dampers.
There are also a couple of substantial strut bracing front and back, as well as a carbon skid plate under the front bumper for when you go bouncing off the inevitable snow bank, to keep the car as stiff as possible.
When you think about it, an EV doesn't have a sump to break, so it's basically just a fancy sledge.
Extra lighting and a unique wrap to round off the look, and if the worst comes, at least there's a backup plan.

There's a motor upgrade to 469bhp (up from the standard 402bhp - which you can now download over-the-air for standard P2 dual motors), 501lb ft of torque, a new 'prototype' launch control system controlled by paddles on the steering wheel, and some custom Recaro bucket seats to make it feel a little more racy than the standard car.
It's more practical than absurdly theatrical in the normal Polestar sense, but it seems like a lot of fun.

"Tuning a chassis on snow and ice allows us to develop our cars in what feels like slow motion and with higher accuracy, with such low levels of grip, we can feel and evaluate the chassis," Rydholm explains, in an attempt to sound all responsible.

"I wanted to have more fun than normal with this car - really being able to push it in terms of performance and handling in a winter environment like a frozen lake," he says, utterly crossing the corporate line.
When you enter a corner entirely sideways, with a bigger-than-usual smile on your face and in total control, the balance and predictability we've achieved with the raised ride height and specialised tyres is particularly noticeable."

Which sounds to us like a man who enjoys his profession and in whose capable hands Polestar will perform just fine...

What's your thoughts ? Let us know in the comments section below, Modified Rides.