The comparisons between the BMW M8 Competition, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and the Polestar 1 just don’t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon. We previously saw these three cars do battle in a straight-line drag race. However, the crew at Motor1 is back with the same three cars, except this time the race is on track, to see which car handles better. The BMW M8 and Shelby GT500 are a bit more closely matched than the Polestar 1 but it’s still an interesting test.
One of the reasons this is so interesting is that the Polestar 1 is the most powerful car to ever come from Volvo. While Polestar is technically its own division, the car is based on a Volvo chassis, uses a Volvo engine and Polestar is owned by Volvo. The Polestar has a hybrid setup with 619 HP and 738 lb-ft of torque at its disposal but it’s also the heaviest car here by quite a lot. Therefore, throwing it against the BMW and the Ford in either a drag race or on the track should have only one outcome.
The one thing working for the Polestar though is the hybrid drivetrain and that’s what makes it future-proof. Unlike the other two cars, using powerful V8 engines, the Polestar 1 relies on a 2-liter 4-cylinder engine along with a lot of electric power. That is its main advantage and it makes it feel like a futuristic muscle car with its impressive specs and looks. That’s yet another department where the Swede shines, as it has a great design inside and out.
The winner was surprising for me too, as I expected the Ford to walk away with the honors, to be blunt. For me, it has the best bang for the buck ratio out of these three and it probably has a lot to do with the price tag. If money was no issue, I’d definitely go for the M8 but, then again, this is not my video. Check it out!
