New feature brings The Beatles and Pink Floyd to your car

Collaborations between bands and carmakers for special-edition models are nothing new, and there have been some truly forgettable cars born out of it in the past – Volkswagen Golf Bon Jovi anyone?

However, in the history of the car, there has seemingly been no tie-ups between car brands and a recording studio, until now.

London’s famed Abbey Road Studio now has its own mode on select versions of the Polestar 3 electric SUV, allowing occupants to listen to their music as if they’re sitting in the iconic venue.

Home to the recording of legendary albums such as The Beatles’ White Album, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and more contemporary releases like Radiohead’s The Bends, Abbey Road Studios has now given its mixing nous to Polestar, via a very modern over-the-air update.

Available for all examples of the Polestar 3 which feature a Bowers & Wilkins sound system – comprising 25 speakers and a 1610W amplifier – the new Abbey Road Studios Mode includes four sound presets as well as a unique Producer mode.

The four preset sound mixes – Intimate, Open, Energise, and Expansive – are claimed to “draws on the sound of the control rooms and live spaces whilst taking inspiration from the studios’ original EMI-era equipment, used in the recording, mixing and mastering process on countless era-defining recordings”.

“All have been curated and designed by the studios’ expert engineers, many of whom have worked with some of the biggest artists in the world. Producer mode allows for even greater personalisation, enabling users to tailor the sound to their personal preference.”

In addition to these four presets, the Producer mode gives an added level of customisation, with more basic controls to create sounds “inspired by the sonic DNA of Abbey Road’s rooms and equipment, users can alter the tonality and ambience of the sound in real time, crafting their own bespoke listening experience in the cabin.”

Australian buyers of the Polestar 3 have to pay a $9000 premium for the Bowers & Wilkins sound system as a part of the Plus Pack, adding a head-up display, soft-close doors, a power-adjustable steering column and active noise cancellation, among other features.