As technology improves in the automotive industry, the best cars always receive performance enhancements first. Yes, that does tend to mean the most expensive cars. Early hybrid supercars like LaFerrari paved the way for electrification and now, the trickle-down effect has meant more and more hybrid supercar options are hitting the market. Today, two solid entrants into the hybrid supercar arena include the brand-new Polestar 1 and BMW's long-tenured (and recently canceled) i8. To see just how far hybrid design and engineering have come since BMW first introduced the i8 six years ago, the YouTube channel CarWow has performed an extensive compare and contrast of the two cars, which are both priced around $150,000.
Unusual Options
Both the Polestar 1 and the BMW i8 have yet to truly prove themselves as potent market forces. The former because it's only available for pre-order and the latter despite having a few years to do so. Yet, both push the envelope in terms of performance and design, including interior amenities.
The i8 Is Still Weird
The i8 was BMW's first mid-engined car since the original M1, though BMW surprisingly opted to skip an inline-six in this case and drop in a turbocharged three-cylinder engine complemented by a hybrid synchronous motor and all-wheel drive. By the final model year, 2020, the setup produced a respectable, if not impressive, combined output of 369 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. But the i8's design was really where it stands out; From the distinctive two-tone exterior to the carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic chassis. But as the Throttle House boys discovered, the i8's butterfly doors and roadster design also make head bumps so likely getting in and out that a helmet might be necessary for owners.
Polestar Not Volvo
Polestar as a brand has spun off from Volvo, though the production car bears a slight resemblance to the Swedish firm's recent products both inside and out. More impressively, it employs a twin-charged four-cylinder engine (that's turbo and supercharged) plus two electric motors that can altogether crank out 600 horsepower 738 lb-ft of torque. A fun detail is that the trunk displays a bunch of the electrical systems to remind everyone that this isn't just some big, gas-guzzling grand tourer. Watch the video to see how Thomas and James think the Polestar 1 has taken things another step past BMW's ill-fated i8.
Sources: youtube.com and autoevolution.com.