Polestar rebranded by Volvo
Volvo surprised pretty much everyone recently when it announced that its performance arm, Polestar, is to become a new separately branded electrified global high-performance car company.
Volvo acquired a 100 per cent stake in Polestar Performance in July 2015, after having worked with the company in motorsport since 1996. According to that announcement, Polestar will offer self-branded cars that will no longer carry a Volvo logo, as well as ‘‘optimisation packages’’ for Volvo’s range of cars under the Polestar Engineered brand.
Volvo says that Polestar will enjoy ‘‘specific technological and engineering synergies’’ with it and will benefit from significant economies of scale as a result of its connection to the Swedish mother brand.
It also says that connection will allow it to design, develop and build ‘‘world-beating electrified high-performance cars.’’
Thomas Ingenlath, senior vice president design at Volvo, has been appointed chief executive officer of Polestar.
‘‘Thomas heading up the Polestar organisation shows our commitment to establishing a truly differentiated stand-alone brand within the Volvo Car Group,’’ says Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars.
Ingenlath says: ‘‘I am really excited to take up the challenge of establishing this exciting brand, developing a fabulous portfolio of bespoke products and channelling the passion we have throughout the Polestar team. The next chapter in Polestar’s history is just beginning.’’