Polestar reveals wild Synergy concept

Polestar has revealed a hyperbolic hypercar concept that not only tests what the Swedish brand is capable of delivering from its design house but redefines the design process itself.

The Synergy is the winning design in the Swedish brand’s annual design contest, however, the radical two–seater is not the result of just one submission, but the combination of three.

Under the guidance of Polestar’s in–house design team, the Synergy’s exterior form is a blend of Devashish Deshmukh and Swapnil Desai’s interpretation of the 2023 contest “Performance” brief, while the interior is the work of Yingxiang Li.

14

By combining three designs into one, the team produced a single hypercar concept that redefines what a high–performance car should look like and its impact on the environment, says Polestar.

Another key difference compared with previous Polestar Design Contest winners, was that this year’s design was created in the final stage as a full–size model, so its intricate details and imposing proportions could be fully showcased and appreciated.

At the international reveal of the Synergy in Munich on the eve of the 2023 IAA motor show, Polestar interior design manager and Design Contest lead judge Juan Pablo Bernal said the Synergy was as much about developing a new generation of designers as it was about delivering a halo car for the brand.

14

“The reason behind it is the community,” Bernal said.

"We started connecting with talented designers from all around the world and providing them Polestar as the brief to provide a sketch. Nowadays, everyone has the little communities and little Instagram accounts, but by bringing everything together we are one account – their recognition and talent becomes so much wider.

“We said 'let’s go big this time'. We’ve done scale models which are always appreciated, and beautiful, but let’s take one step bigger. We decided to go full size and that, in terms of development and curating the model and details is a completely different process. It needed to talk Polestar and needs to be on–brand.”

14

The Synergy is a two seater all–electric, all–wheel drive hypercar that delivers a big performance punch but treads lightly.

Suspension has inboard dampers in each corner with the Swedish Gold double wishbones visible through large aerodynamic tracts in each from wheel arch.

Wheels measure a serious 23 inches and are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Elect rubber for maximum track grip but maximising electric range through minimised drag and frictional losses.

14

Vast expanses of body panels are uncluttered by textures and components with a “minimalist” design that focuses on simple aesthetics rather than distracting complications.

Polestar badging and branding is also minimal with the car’s identity mostly communicated through the ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights which extend all the way over each front wheel arch with a single pinstripe of LED lighting.

At the back, there’s more striking illumination with a full–width LED light bar which incorporates the Polestar logo and model moniker, framed by the company’s trademark exploded right angle details in each corner of the Synergy’s tail.

14

Inside, Li’s cabin provides space for two in deeply bucketed seats and the company’s trademark Swedish gold harnesses, while the steering wheel display relays information including the occupant’s vital signs for “a calmer performance driving experience” says Li.

Don’t get too excited about the wild Synergy’s design just yet, though. Although it’s likely some of the concept’s design and details will stay in Polestar’s studio sketches for a while yet, Bernal says the project is more about building and recognising new design talent rather than previewing a new model for now.

"It’s not showing the future of Polestar as a brand but, of course, it needs to be Polestar. The detail and the love and care comes from our side.

“The beauty of this project is the collaboration between them (entrants) and us. We brought the experience and they had the energy and the passion.

“We’re trying to translate their vision and design using our experience to provide that flavour and the Polestar essence to make sure that it is right for the brand.”

What's actually coming to the road, then?

Polestar fans will soon have the Polestar 5 to fawn over, while convertible fans will have to wait for for the upcoming Polestar 6 (above), formerly known as the O2 concept.

Before those, however, Polestar's next new models in Australia will be the large Polestar 3 SUV and the recently revealed Polestar 4 SUV.