Volvo’s performance sub-brand Polestar is preparing to launch a new car-buying platform that will change the way niche-based vehicles can be purchased. The new direct to consumer sales platform is intended to customize and simplify the process of configuring, ordering, and purchase a new performance vehicle, such as the Polestar 1 – a 600-horsepower hybrid coupe.

While it’s a growing trend to create direct-to-consumer shopping platforms, Polestar’s automotive sales system is a hybrid of online services currently out there. The only difference is that this system is only for these specific vehicles. Polestar is a sub-variant division of Volvo, that is planning to debut a new platform that will permit consumers to research, configure and order their niche-based vehicles through an authorized Polestar Space franchise.

The Polestar Space is essentially an independent group of third-party sales folks who are all non-commissioned product experts who provide information about the vehicle as directed by the customer – not stimulated through commission-based sales jargon common with most vehicle sales people. The Polestar Space will also act as a pick-up, delivery, and service location. This platform will permit customers to configure their vehicle online with no pressure, hype or hidden costs often found at dealerships.

“Launching an entirely new car brand gives us the opportunity to assess what customers enjoy about car ownership, and what they are less keen on,” says Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer at Polestar. “We also want to remove the hassle from traditional car ownership.”

Along with the Polestar Space, the Volvo sub-brand is also offering subscription-based services for their customers, similar to Care by Volvo that the parent company offers. Essentially, this program will cover nearly all costs of ownership such as maintenance, repairs, car payments, and insurance. All that customers will have to do is pay for gas and drive. It’s truly a marketing tactic targeted to the modern millennial.

Polestar does not have a lot of vehicles to configure at the moment. In fact, they only have a single offering, the Polestar 1 - which is entering production in mid-2019. The first year of production is actually sold out, with and estimated 200 vehicles arriving to North America in early 2020. Early 2019 is expected to see the debut of their second entry – the (insert drum roll – Polestar 2) which will be an full-electric vehicle intended to compete with the Tesla Model 3.

Image source: polestar.com

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