Upmarket all-electric brand Polestar has introduced its fifth model – the Polestar 5 – which is now on sale in the UK as the Swedish marque’s flagship grand tourer.
Now rivalling the likes of the Audi e-tron GT, Porsche Taycan and Lotus Emeya, this performance-focused grand tourer now sits at the top of the Polestar range, above the slightly shorter Polestar 4 coupé-SUV that launched in the UK last summer.
Built on a unique aluminium platform that reduces overall weight, this sleek grand tourer has been designed for maximum aerodynamic efficiency – in an effort to boost battery range – with 13% of that aluminium used being recycled.
Like the Polestar 3 and 4, the Polestar 5 sports the brand’s ‘SmartZone’ front end with a housing sensors, cameras and radar instead of a traditional front grille, and dual blade LED headlights that stretch up the bonnet.
Like the Polestar 4, this new model also doesn’t feature a rear window. Instead, the rearview mirror in the cabin has a high-definition screen that displays the live feed of a roof-mounted rear camera, which the manufacturer says gives a much wider field of view. This screen can also be disabled, allowing the driver to view passengers in the rear seats when needed.
Inside, the grand tourer features the largest panoramic glass roof of any Polestar so far at just over two metres long, while the seats are designed in collaboration with Recaro. While the 5 is technically a five-seater car, the manufacturer says its design primarily as a four-seater, with the central armrest in its lower position.
A 15-inch portrait-oriented infotainment screen juts out of the dashboard which runs the brand’s Snapdragon software, which features Google Maps, Google Assistant and Google Play as standard. A 21-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system is available for an extra fee, replacing the standard ten-speaker system.
On the performance front, there are two different ‘Launch Edition’ powertrain options to choose from. Both are all-wheel drive and powered by a 112kWh battery paired to two electric motors. The lead-in ‘Dual Motor’ model can reportedly muster 748hp – compared to the 544hp output of the standard Polestar 4. The grand tourer has a battery range of 416 miles between charges.
The more expensive 884hp Polestar 5 ‘Performance’ is the fastest model Polestar has ever produced – capable of completing a 0-62mph spirit in 3.2 seconds – 0.7 seconds faster than the ‘Dual Motor’. This added performance comes with a lesser maximum battery range of 351 miles. Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph, and the electric car can charge at DC speeds of up to 350kW, with a 10% to 80% battery top up taking around 22 minutes.
Pricing for the new Polestar 5 now begins at nearly £90k for the ‘Dual Motor’, rising to £105k for the ‘Performance’ edition.
