Polestar is giving its new 900hp all-electric super saloon - the Polestar 5 - a global debut in Sony's famed Gran Turismo video game.
So I can play with a 5 before I buy one?
Precisely that. Apparently, both Polestar and Polyphony Digital (the company that makes the Gran Turismo game for Sony) have really opened up their respective corporate cupboards to one another to try and create the most realistic possible digital recreation of the Polestar 5 for games with a PlayStation 4 or 5.
How realistic exactly?
Well, Polestar and Polyphony secured the services of ace sim racer and real-world professional driver Igor Fraga to help tweak and tune the online version's responses to match as closely as possible those of the real-world car. Fraga was given special access to prototype Polestar 5 vehicles and R&D experts at Polestar's development facilities in Sweden before final sign-off at the Brands Hatch circuit in England. In theory, the digital version's laptimes at a given circuit should be the same as in the real world, if you drive it right, of course.
Is there a big online launch event for all this?
There is indeed. In fact, when the Polestar 5 is made available in Gran Turismo in December, there will be a live online time trial event with the winner getting an exclusive trip to Fukuoka, Japan, to attend the World Finals of the 2025 GT World Series.
Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo Series Producer, says: "I have long been impressed by Polestar cars for their advanced, clean, and elegant designs, and so I am delighted to collaborate with them to bring the Polestar 5 to Gran Turismo. It is the first time we have worked together, and it has been a very positive experience. The development team at Polestar put a great deal of care into crafting the car's driving experience, and so I am sure the players will enjoy the experience of driving it in Gran Turismo.”
Joakim Rydholm, Head of Driving Dynamics at Polestar, says: "Working with the Gran Turismo team to ensure the digital 'feel' of the Polestar 5 was as close as possible to the real thing was a really important step for us. The end result means the digital car 100 per cent replicates the behind-the-wheel experience of the real Polestar 5, meaning GT racers will have just as much fun as buyers of the actual cars.”
You can watch the launch film below.