If you’ve ever wanted to feel like George Martin (legendary Beatles producer) while stuck in traffic on the M25, you’re in luck. The latest over-the-air update for the Polestar 3 and the Volvo EX90 unlocks a new Abbey Road Studios Mode – a slick audio trick that turns your Swedish performance SUV into a mobile mixing desk. Kind of.
Exclusively for cars fitted with the Bowers & Wilkins sound system (25 speakers, 1,610W, and more acoustic wizardry than a prog rock album), this update is like an audio love letter to London’s most famous recording studio.
You get four presets – Intimate, Open, Energised, and Expansive – all tuned to mimic the sonic vibes of different rooms and gear set-ups at Abbey Road. Want to feel like you’re in the control room with Bowie? Hit Intimate. Fancy the energy of a Beatles jam session? Try Energised. There’s even a Producer mode, so you can fiddle with tonality and ambience like you’re headlining Glasto (without leaving the Waitrose car park).
Each preset comes with high-def visuals of iconic Abbey Road kit displayed on the touchscreen in either car – a nice touch, even if you don’t know your compressors from your congas.
Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller says it best: “You’d swear you were right there in the legendary London building, not driving a performance SUV.” Lofty words. But honestly? He’s not wrong.
Anders Bell, chief engineering and technology officer at Volvo Cars, is likewise pleased with the results: “The addition of this world-first experience is a great example of how we bring more value to our customers through efficient and simple over-the-air updates.”
Add in Dolby Atmos, active noise cancellation, and more speakers than your local pub’s quiz night, and suddenly you have the best seat in the house for your next stadium tour… even if it’s just the school run.
Oh, and the update also includes stolen vehicle tracking and smart charging schedules. But let’s be honest – you’re here for the tunes.
