Polestar confirms first UK showroom will be in West London

Swedish brand will open its first UK 'space' in Westfield mall in October, but sales will be online-only

Polestar will open its first UK showroom at the Westfield shopping centre in West London this October.

Created in partnership with dealer group Endeavour Automotive, the 'space' will serve as a front for the Swedish performance car brand's online-based sales model.

The Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid coupé and Polestar 2 electric fastback will be showcased there, but rather than buying from a traditional dealer, customers must order their car from the Polestar website.

Buyers can expect “minimalist design” and a high level of digital technology in the space, which Polestar says will allow customers to have a greater focus on its cars.

Polestar is one of only a few brands that prioritises online sales at present. However, after the temporary closure of traditional dealerships in response to the coronavirus crisis, more and more new-car buyers are going online.

Kristian Elvefors, the UK boss of Polestar parent company Volvo, expects this to persist long after the pandemic is over. “For us and the whole car industry, online sales are here to stay,” he told Autocar.

Polestar COO Jonathan Goodman said: “With the first customer Polestar 2 cars soon to land in the country, the next step in the journey is to open our first retail space and continue to engage with our growing customer base.”

Polestar’s second-ever model is set to arrive in the UK later this summer as a rival to the Tesla Model 3, priced initially from £49,900 before cheaper variants follow.

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