It’s not difficult to get something with so much torque and a long wheelbase to behave well, but what’s surprising is the sense of finesse and pedigree, even from the passenger seat.

The development of the 5 is taking place at MIRA, by a team of engineers from backgrounds at Lotus, McLaren, and other top handling schools. The British team at Polestar HQ in Gothenburg is working on it from scratch, and it shows in the car’s performance.

When driving, the 5’s tail moves smoothly, and it feels forgiving in the way it handles. Even when pushed mid-corner, the car maintains control. It feels composed and resistant to understeer.

Concrete technical details about the 5 will be scarce until closer to the car’s 2025-model-year launch. However, it’s clear that the 5 will ride on a passive suspension set-up without air springs or selectable modes.

Even though the 5 will likely have a high price, it showed natural poise and good suppleness on the Dunlop circuit, though it may struggle with potholes and poor roads.