To quote Austin Powers: “Yeah, baby!”
Polestar has revealed a new concept that redefines sports roadsters for the electric age and it looks the goods.
Named Polestar O2, the hard-top convertible is Polestar’s vision of open-top performance and a thrilling driving experience, with all the benefits of electric mobility.
The driving experience is designed to be lively, light and full of confidence. Predictability and playfulness are core to exciting, spirited driving.
Tight body control, high rigidity and intuitive dynamics are inherent benefits of the bespoke bonded aluminium platform which is adapted from the Polestar 5, developed in-house by Polestar’s R&D team in the UK.
The high quality and rigidity of the bonded aluminium platform are geared towards heightened dynamic response.
Handling dynamics are taut thanks also to small roll angles and high roll damping, and the agile, direct steering feel is linear, with great steering torque build-up.
Clearly related to the Polestar Precept concept car but with its own distinct character, the look of Polestar O2 shows how Polestar’s evolving design language can be adapted to different body styles with a strong family resemblance.
The low and wide body with an assertive stance, compact 2+2 cabin design, minimal overhangs and a long wheelbase, embody classic sports car proportions but with a clearly modern, electric feel.
Polestar’s Head of Design, Maximilian Missoni, describes the car as a meeting point between technology and art, between precision and sculpture, with a determined but not aggressive stance.
Aerodynamics are manipulated to maximise range thanks to disguised design features like integrated ducts that improve laminar air flow over the wheels and body sides, and the rear lights that function as air blades to reduce turbulence behind the car.
Polestar O2 also showcases advances in sustainability and technology.
A new thermoplastic mono-material features extensively in the interior.
Recycled polyester is the sole material used for all the soft components of the interior: foam, adhesive, 3D knit fibres and non-woven lamination.
This simplifies recycling and is a significant step towards greater circularity, while also reducing weight and waste.
And here’s the best bit.
Polestar O2 comes with an autonomous cinematic drone integrated behind the rear seats.
Developed in collaboration with Aerofugia’s consumer electronics brand Hoco Flow, it can be deployed while the car is moving — to record the perfect driving sequence.
Engineers have developed a specialised aerofoil that raises behind the rear seats to create a calm area of negative pressure that allows the drone to take off when the car is on the move.
The drone operates autonomously, automatically following the car at speeds up to 90 km/h, and the driver can choose between an atmospheric sequence – great for a coastline cruise – or a more action-filled sequence with a sportier expression.
After filming, the drone can autonomously return to the car.
Video clips can be edited and shared directly from the 15-inch centre display when the car is parked.
“We wanted to emphasise the experience you can have with a car like the Polestar O2 in new and unusual ways,” Missoni said.
“Integrating an autonomous cinematic drone was something that allowed us to push the boundaries on the innovation front. Not needing to stop and off-load the drone before filming, but rather deploying it at speed, is a key benefit to this innovative design.”
Polestar plans to launch three new cars over the coming three years, starting in 2022, each of which has potential to gradually realise some of the ideas presented by these concept cars.
Sounds like a dream come true for cash-strapped car journos, who often spend hours shooting video with their own equipment (GoPro no longer required).
CHECKOUT: Compelling Polestar coming soon