Scandi minimalism goes out the window with Polestar Concept BST

First off, Car Design News is calling for a moratorium on all Spinal Tap references when describing extreme versions of production cars…from this article onwards. You see, although the Polestar Concept BST (read Beast) fits all too neatly into the aforementioned, the phrase has passed into the realms of cliche. And with that, the new Polestar Concept BST takes the design language and performance of the Polestar 6, planned for launch in 2026, and turns it up to eleven.

Quite rightly unveiled at Goodwood Festival of Speed, the concept confirms the promise from CEO Thomas Inglelath earlier this year that more high-performance models were on the way. Indeed, it was design director Maximilan Missoni who underlined that was the raison d’etre of the Swedish EV brand shortly after scooping the CDR X Production Car of the Year award in 2023 for the Polestar 4.

Accordingly, the car featured an extra wide track, flared arches, aggressive front splitter and vented bonnet topped off with a bloody enormous spoiler. Most un-Polestar-like for a brand that has become a byword for minimalism within automotive design. More on-message is the feasibility of the car, which conforms to the CEO’s distaste for unworkable thought-experiments.

“Even if it’s a concept car, we always try to make something feasible,” said Maxime Célérier, expert exterior designer at Polestar, when CDN cornered him on the Polestar stand at FoS. Does this approach filter down from the boardroom?

“That’s a good question. Actually, I think we have all this philosophy of proposing something and then delivering on it,” says Célérier. “I wouldn’t say it’s coming from either Thomas or Max, but we all have this way of thinking.”

He continues: “The first exercise was to play with the proportion and volume to really sit the car on the road, so you have this beautiful presence. I was involved with the BST version of the Polestar 2, where the aim was to show our performance side. So we moved the track out 70mm on each side – the section on the Roadster is much flatter – but here it was much more about the shoulder.”

While the concept shares the light signature of the 02, the lower mask features more aero components than the toned-down version. Similarly, the hood bears aero elements framed by a fractured “6” graphic. These measures come courtesy of Polestar’s UK R&D team.

The side view is dramatic, with a sharp line introduced by the all black sills that separate the lower flanks from the silvery door and fenders. When viewed square on, the BST graphic is legible but from different angles it appears almost broken.

“We like the contrast of the clean cut while playing with the graphic to make it less obvious. It is the same with the hood: as you move around the car it warps and distorts.” Graphic design has become a signature for Polestar – few other brands use it as well – and Célérier cites artist Felice Varini’s 2018 project at La cité de Carcassone as an influence.

The rear is precise, making good use of the signature Polestar light blade, but of course dominated by the sizable spoiler. For fans of understated Swedish design, this will be a controversial, albeit necessary, addition. It is tempting to speculate how this more raucous design language will excite new potential customers without alienating the existing base. And Polestar, like all the EV-only brands, must get the balance spot on, if long-term success is to be achieved.