Polestar’s special-edition 2, Ford’s electric Explorer, 13 personalities for Lambo’s new bull

Polestar 2 gets BST edition 230 adds a snazzy interior, nifty new exterior color, magical Öhlins dampers

Intake: Polestar Engineered portfolio has given us its second limited-production Polestar 2 based on the 350 kW (476 hp) Long Range Dual Motor version of the EV sedan. Available in black or in an exclusive shade called Nebula green, the BST edition 230 uses all of the chassis upgrades from the BST edition 270 including a lowered suspension with stiffer springs, Öhlins 2-way adjustable dampers, black 21-inch alloy wheels, and 245/35R21 Pirelli P Zero tires. A full-length stripe is optional with either color choice. Inside, MicroSuede upholstery, made from partly recycled Nubuck textile, wraps the seats and door inserts. “Limited drops like the BST edition 230 allow us to explore colors, graphics, and materials in faster and more creative ways,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO. This special edition will be limited to 230 units across North America and Europe and is available for order now with deliveries expected in the third quarter of 2023.

Exhaust: We have sampled several versions of the Polestar 2 and have enjoyed them all. Its understated interior is a great place for Polestar to play with different upholstery and textures to liven things up, and these limited edition models seem like a safe place to get a little more ambitious with the textures and colors. Despite its sedate exterior, Polestar 2 packs solid handling and performance, so the stripe is a welcome addition. — Brandan Gillogly

This resto-mod Porsche 964 is as quick as a modern 911 GT3

Intake: Theon Design’s latest take on the 964-era (1988–92) Porsche 911 is a carbon-bodied lightweight that can match the latest GT3 when it comes to performance. In fact, the car, known as ITA001 because it’s the first example to be built for an Italian customer, has exactly the same power-to-weight ratio as a 992-generation GT3 Touring. Theon’s carbon construction allows it to weigh in at just 2540 lbs and its four-liter naturally-aspirated, air-cooled flat-six engine produces 405 horsepower. By contrast, the latest GT3 Touring makes 502 hp and tips the scales at 3126 lbs when equipped with a manual transmission. Theon also uses a manual transmission, which is a six-speed unit sourced from a 993-era (1993–97) 911. A limited-slip differential and brakes come from a 993-era 911 Carrera RS, while the engine’s high-performance plenum is from a 997-gen (2004–10) 911. The motor also features independent throttle bodies from Jenvey with drive-by-wire capability, and there’s five-stage adaptive damping from Tractive. “It retains the air-cooled enthralling 911’s charm, but blends it with modern, focused performance and dynamic ability; it’s a classic 911 with an addictive dose of modern GT3 thrown in,” reckons Theon co-founder Adam Hawley.

Exhaust: You could buy a pair of modern GT3s for the price of one Theon, but we doubt you’d have twice the fun. “If, in an alternative universe without ever-changing legislative hurdles, Porsche had continued to develop the 964 for 40 years this could well have been the result. The character of the car is unchanged, but its capability is immeasurably improved,” we said after test-driving one. — Nik Berg

Ford Explorer goes electric—but there’s a catch

Intake: Ford has designed a brand-new electric Explorer. That’s the good news. The bad news: It’s for Europe only. Really, while it wears the Explorer name, it’s a lot closer in size to an Escape—it’s 177 inches long, while the U.S. Explorer is 198.8 inches. Engineered and built in Germany on the same MEB platform that underpins the Volkswagen ID.4, the electric Explorer is a five-seater with a battery pack that can fast-charge from 10 to 80 percent in 25 minutes. “Explorer is a trailblazer for a new breed of exciting Ford electric vehicles. Steeped in our American roots but built in Cologne for our customers in Europe, it is road trip-ready for the big adventures and fully loaded with everything our customers will need for their daily drives,” said Martin Sander, general manager of Ford Europe’s EV lineup.

Exhaust: Actually, it’s kind of surprising that Ford, with only the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lightning in its EV stable currently, isn’t interested in exporting the Explorer—or whatever they’d call it—in the U.S. And there are more EVs coming across the pond: “Ford in Europe is committed to offering an all-electric portfolio of passenger vehicles by 2030,” the company says. — Steven Cole Smith

Poll says one-third of Americans would consider an EV

Intake: Reuters reports that just over one-third of Americans would consider buying an electric vehicle for their next purchase, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found. Some 34 percent of all respondents indicated that they would consider an EV, while 31 percent said they would not. Among Democrats, 50 percent said they would consider an EV, while just 26 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of independents said they would consider an electric vehicle. Reuters says there are now more than 80 EV models for sale in the United States. Thanks to that breadth of choice, EVs represented nearly 6 percent of all U.S. sales in 2022—up more than 60 percent from the year before.

Exhaust: The poll suggests there’s still a fair bit of reluctance among the public to buy electric. Price is likely a factor; the poll found that 56 percent of respondents would be willing to pay no more than $49,999 for an EV, definitely on the low end of what’s available. – SCS

Lamborghini’s next supercar will have 13 drive modes, electric torque vectoring

Intake: Lamborghini has revealed a few more details about the LB744, its V-12-powered, hybridized successor to the Aventador. The nearly 1000-hp monster will offer 13 different driving modes that alter the car’s character dramatically, allowing it to drive on pure electric power through tight urban areas and then, when the road opens, employ the full might of that 6.5-liter, 814-hp, naturally aspirated V-12 for spirited driving. The LB744 will be the first Lamborghini to offer electric torque vectoring as well, thanks to those two electric motors placed on the front axle. Used in conjunction with the four-wheel steering system, this tech will hopefully allow the LB744 to knife through tighter corners better than its predecessors.

Exhaust: As more high-performance cars turn to electrification to increase performance, we’re getting the added benefit of a much broader envelope of capability from these machines as well. Imagine a car as menacing as the LB744 wafting silently through your quaint little town, then making you spill your espresso as it reaches city limits and morphs from tranquil transport pod to yowling apex hunter. Sounds epic. — Nathan Petroelje