Polestar 5 goes from concept to reality

The latest images and video show a car that is clearly staying true to its svelte Swedish looks as it progresses through those often shape-changing stages ‘twixt design studio and showroom. It is still not the finished article, but as Polestar says, it does preview more of the final design direction of its rival to the Porsche Taycan.

“It makes me very proud to see how much of the concept car’s design is making it into the Polestar 5 – a great achievement by our designers and engineers alike,” Polestar chief executive Thomas Ingenlath tells us.

True enough, the shark-like nose, long wheelbase, smooth and unadorned surfaces and pleasing arch to the roofline are all present and correct. But inevitably things do change in the journey from concept to reality and quite clearly Polestar 5 has regular forward-hinged doors, not the rear-hinged back doors and completely open sides of the concept. We didn’t expect anything else.

That looks to us a like rear windscreen as well; remember, the concept had no screen, just a huge glass roof that extended halfway down the back; it certainly looked cool but it would surely have compromised rear visibility in a production model. Some people still like to physically see behind them rather than having to rely on images from cameras.

Polestar calls the 5 a four-door sedan but in reality it may have a tailgate, in the manner of the fastback-style Polestar 2. Thankfully though, as the picture shows, the geometric and simple rear treatment preserves the elegance of the concept’s back end, including its distinctive full width light bar.

Something to look forward to then from one of the new electric brands that puts huge store by design, as you might expect of its Swedish roots and Volvo connections. Polestar 5 is also going to be the brand’s flagship for digital technology and sustainability. It’s still two years away though, with Polestar 3 ­– a US-made SUV ­– next to ship, due in 2022.