Hot or not: what does Frank Stephenson think of the Polestar 5?

Frank Stephenson is a car designer with more hits than the Beatles, including the Escort RS Cossie, first BMW Mini, Maser MC12, numerous Ferraris and the McLaren P1. These days he runs his own consultancy – Frank Stephenson Design. Here he shares his views on the electric Polestar 5 grand tourer

Polestar, being a relatively new brand on the market, has the objective to create a unique design path that reflects Scandinavian values and principles. With the new Polestar 5 it’s definitely achieved that, albeit using a few tricks.

Credit goes to Nahum Escobedo, who’s very successfully managed to create a faithful production car out of its Precept concept model from five years ago. Although five years can be an eternity in the car design world these days, the 5’s exterior design still manages to come across as a fresh product for the brand. Typically Swedish, it whispers simplicity and zero flashiness.

Starting at the front, the only standout feature, in the absence of a characteristic grille, is the Thor’s hammer shaped LED headlights, with a lighting signature seemingly inspired from brother brand Volvo. The Precept’s very cool and very effective nose wing appears to have lost either the final engineering or the final marketing battle and now there’s just a dramatically dropping front bonnet and fender surface area, helping to hint at a sports car’s low nose design. Radar and sensors are well integrated into the no breathing/all seeing zone of the front bumper.

Turning to the side, the 5 combines good and not so good design features to deliver a mildly pleasant profile. An obviously aviation inspired cabin to body proportion works well, with the beautifully extended dark glass roof helping to lower the car’s visual height. But the lower body side, showing no directional bias, is much too symmetrical in its overall graphic to emphasise any sense of forward direction. It regrettably reduces the 5’s dynamic impression. Beautiful, open designed, and polished wheels, albeit static with an even number of spokes, compliment the sportiness of this high performance GT.

The precept front spoiler didn't make it to production. Shame. EV architecture allows for a super low front end design. 

Powerful rear shoulder leads to sharp rear end with strong kamm tail, great for aero. Side treatment is too symmetrical, has no direction. Beautiful wheel design, but four spokes make the car look static. Extended glass area breaks up visual mass of the bodyside. Unfortunate placement of the chmsl. No rear glass, pure cliche! 

Clean and minimal interior, but where is the soul?

Great stance, but weak rear light signature. 

Verdict: HOT