Oh Two! Max Missoni on the Polestar O₂

Why reinvent the notion of the sports car – and why now?

Because the electric age comes with hitherto unknown possibilities. The roadster segment has lost popularity in recent years, not least due to SUVs. But an open car affording absolute quiet and the force of an electric motor is another story. I believe that electric mobility could give rise to a renaissance of sports cars.

What’s the role of design? What makes it a sports car?

The Polestar O2 is our vision of a new era of the sports car. For one thing, there’s the flexible, tailor-made aluminum platform our company has developed. It’s particularly suitable for sports cars because it’s so light and very stable. Then there’s the uniqueness of our design. In our concept vehicles, the Polestar Precept and the Polestar O2, we show for instance in the lights that we are our own brand with signature shapes and forms that have nothing to do with Volvo. As a team, we’re capable of designing classic automobiles. The Polestar O2 has the proportions of a classic sports car, but when it comes to form, it’s extremely avant-garde. That’s a combination that truly excites car lovers. It creates novel emotions. It’s a highly emotional product.

What’s the message of the launch color?

When we first rolled out the brand, we strictly restricted the available colors. This was a conscious decision to create a holistic and uniform design impression. It was all mapped out. Now the Polestar O2 is the perfect product to introduce more colors. In California, where the car was presented, the exterior finish blended in perfectly with the sky. It was out of this world.

How do you bring together the premium segment, fun and sustainability?

By including elements from our sustainability projects, like Polestar 0, in our vehicles and concepts such as the Polestar O2 already today, and by basing the design language and design ideas on these novel inputs. That’s also the feedback we’ve been getting as a brand. People think we’re doing a great job of blending a fun driving experience with sustainability and high-quality materials. The Polestar 2 is an extremely dynamic car. At the same time, it also features components that make mobility more sustainable.

To end with, the most important question: Will the car be launched – and when will customers be able to place an order?

We always design our concept cars to see what kind of feedback we’ll get. Based on that, we’ll decide how to proceed. We used a similar concept with the Polestar Precept, which was received so well that it will enter series production as the Polestar 5.

→ Read the complete and exclusive interview by Michael Köckritz with Maximilian Missoni in the ramp #57.