Polestar 5 Makes Its Public Track Debut on Ice at FAT International Ice Race
The public had its first opportunity to see the Polestar 5 in motion last weekend—but this was no conventional circuit debut. Instead of asphalt and grandstands, the all-electric grand tourer carved its path across ice, surrounded by snow-covered peaks deep in the Austrian Alps. And this was no ordinary Polestar 5, either. Against a backdrop dominated by vintage machinery and combustion-powered legends, Polestar delivered one of the most striking performances of the weekend at FAT International Ice Race, staking its claim as the coldest—and coolest—presence in town.
Held annually at the end of January in Zell am See, FAT Ice Race is not simply a motorsport event. It’s a cultural gathering, a celebration of automotive passion in its most distilled form. People come here for the cars, of course, but also for the atmosphere: the fashion, the personalities, the conversations that blur the line between motorsport heritage and modern design. If you find yourself in this corner of Austria during Ice Race weekend, there’s a good chance you belong there—or at least look like you do.
Before even reaching the frozen airfield that serves as the track, newcomers quickly learn a few unspoken rules. Arrive in something special. It might be a rare classic, a bespoke restomod, or something radically modern—but it has to earn its place. Bring someone special, too, because the mountains attract glamour, yet only a select few feel truly at home trackside. And most importantly, be ready to drift. Not the smoky, tire-shredding kind, but the precise, elegant sliding that only ice can demand. At FAT Ice Race, there is only one surface that matters, and it offers zero forgiveness.
A Grand Tourer Years in the Making
Polestar 5 has been a long time coming. Automotive enthusiasts have followed its journey closely, from its early days as a concept to its transformation into a fully realized production-intended vehicle. It has been unveiled, analyzed, and admired. Some have even experienced it up close during exclusive VIP previews. Yet until now, it had never been seen driving publicly on a circuit, let alone one as demanding and unconventional as an ice track.
That changed decisively at FAT Ice Race.
By bringing not one, but two all-electric Polestar 5 prototypes to Zell am See, Polestar delivered more than just a demonstration run. It offered a statement about where performance, design, and car culture are heading. Surrounded by machines rooted in 20th-century engineering—cars defined by exhaust notes, gear changes, and mechanical theatrics—the Polestar 5 quietly rewrote expectations. Its presence didn’t attempt to outshout the classics. Instead, its 650 kW of electric power cut cleanly through the noise, proving that modern performance can be just as compelling without combustion.
Engineering Meets Atmosphere
The frozen airfield presented a formidable challenge. Ice magnifies every input and punishes every mistake. Stability, control, and balance matter more here than outright speed. And yet, the Polestar 5 appeared entirely at home. Its low stance, wide track, and carefully tuned chassis translated into confidence on a surface where traction is always temporary.
For the occasion, Polestar chose not merely to participate, but to elevate the experience. One of the two prototypes wore a striking black-and-yellow Gran Turismo livery, a nod to Polestar’s ongoing collaboration with the iconic racing game franchise. Against the white snow and blue alpine sky, the design stood out immediately, drawing crowds both on and off the track.
“Polestar has always been a design-led brand, and the livery they created is extremely refined,” says Kazunori Yamauchi—known globally as “Kaz”—CEO of Polyphony Digital and the creator of Gran Turismo. “As expected, they really delivered.”
The partnership felt natural. Both Polestar and Gran Turismo share an obsession with precision, aesthetics, and the emotional side of driving. The result was a car that looked as at home in a virtual racing world as it did sliding gracefully across real ice.
An Automotive Icon Takes the Passenger Seat
For Kaz, attending FAT Ice Race had been a long-held ambition. “I’ve wanted to come here for a long time, and this is my first time attending,” he says while walking the icy circuit, taking in the scenery and the eclectic mix of machinery. “Polestar and Gran Turismo are both very sophisticated brands, so it feels natural that they’re coming closer together.”
Earlier in the day, Polestar arranged something truly special. Kaz was invited to experience the Polestar 5 from the passenger seat, driven by one of Sweden’s most accomplished racing drivers, Ted Björk. A multiple championship winner and veteran of top-level touring car racing, Björk knows how to extract performance under pressure—especially on low-grip surfaces.
Despite the extreme conditions and the unforgiving nature of ice, the experience left a lasting impression. “I thought the car looked really cool,” Kaz recalls. “It felt very stable. I immediately thought it was a really good car. It goes exactly where the driver intends.”
That sense of predictability and control is critical on ice, and it underscored Polestar’s engineering philosophy. This wasn’t about spectacle alone; it was about demonstrating that an electric grand tourer could deliver confidence, balance, and driver connection even in the harshest environments.
Redefining Performance in the EV Era
As the founder of one of the most influential automotive games ever created, Kaz has spent decades immersed in global car culture. Few people have observed its evolution as closely, or influenced it as profoundly. So what does he make of the industry’s shift toward electrification?
“The EV era has only just begun,” he says. “There are forms of driving pleasure and an overall smoothness that can only be achieved with EVs. Because of that, I think a new kind of car culture will emerge.”
That sentiment resonated strongly throughout the weekend. FAT Ice Race, despite its deep respect for heritage, is not about nostalgia alone. It’s about passion, experimentation, and pushing boundaries. Polestar’s presence—quiet yet commanding—fit perfectly within that ethos.
The Polestar 5 didn’t attempt to mimic the past. It didn’t need to. Instead, it demonstrated that electric performance can be emotional, engaging, and visually striking in its own right. On ice, where precision matters more than sound, its qualities were amplified rather than diminished.
A Glimpse of What’s to Come
As the sun dipped behind the alpine peaks and the ice reflected the last light of day, one thing was clear: Polestar’s appearance at FAT Ice Race was more than a publicity moment. It was a carefully chosen stage for a pivotal debut. Showing the Polestar 5 in such an uncompromising environment sent a powerful message about confidence in the product—and in the future it represents.
In a world where performance is often measured by lap times and horsepower figures, Zell am See offered a different metric: authenticity. On ice, there is nowhere to hide. And the Polestar 5 didn’t need to.
By blending cutting-edge electric engineering, thoughtful design, and a deep respect for car culture, Polestar delivered one of the weekend’s most memorable highlights. As the EV era continues to unfold, moments like this suggest that the future of performance may be quieter—but no less thrilling.
Source Link:https://www.polestar.com/global/news/polestar-5-goes-sub-zero
