Polestar 2.2

Was it really April 2024 when I reported on the stupid naming system that Polestar were to use on their model range?

Yes! 

According to their boss, Thomas Ingenlath, the Polestar 2 would be replaced with the Polestar n where

n = the next integer not already assigned to a Polestar.

I pointed out at the time, the folly of doing that. 

Just like in 2018 when I pointed out the folly of choosing Paddy McGuinness & Freddie Flintoff to present Top Gear.

I was proved correct.

Eventually.

Auto Express have this story today about the replacement for the Polestar 2.

It's headlined, "New Polestar 2 to lose SUV looks and embrace its sporty saloon side"

Apart from anything else, I don't think the Polestar 2 does look like an SUV - which is probably why I like it.

Anyway, I clicked on the link for their guess at what it would look like and found this:

Which made be think, "That doesn't look like a sporty saloon - where's the boot?"

Then I worked out that their link had taken me to a page of guesses or "renderings" that didn't actually include the new Polestar 2.  That particular picture was an attempt at what a future MG will look like.

Then I worked out that the picture at the top of the story was their guess: 

 

That doesn't look like it will "lose SUV looks and embrace its sporty saloon side."

 

It just looks like the current one - which already looks like a sporty non-SUV.

 

Which will probably be known as the 2 Mark II.

 

While the boss now appears to be known as Michael Lohscheller.

Toyota Teases a Mysterious New SUV with a Blocky Design.

No, you lost me at SUV. 

That's a Car+Driver story today.

Which I won't read.

Meanwhile there is an Autocar long-term test of the Polestar 3 here.

It's worth reading just for these two paragraphs alone:

The 3 is so called because it's the third model Polestar has launched as a standalone brand. When I've told people I'm getting a 3, they've asked: "Is that the one without the rear window?"

No, that's the 4. The 3 was launched at the same time as the 4. Given that the 4 is smaller than the 3 and the 2 is smaller than the both, it would make more sense if the 3 were called the 4 and the 4 the 3. But Polestar's naming convention for now is sequential, in the order of launch.

12345726

I was going to call this post "The Number's Up!" but I've already used that.

But I missed out the apostrophe which is unlike me and somewhat irritating.

Anyway, that particular post was about 18 months ago and berating the daft naming convention of Polestar.

It still seems to be a problem for them and they are trying to deny it - as reported by drive.co.au here.

And they have changed the rules a bit too.

18 months ago they said that the Polestar 2 would not be replaced by a Polestar 2.  Now they are saying that the Polestar 2 WILL be replaced by a Polestar 2.  Which will probably come after the Polestar 7 and before the Polestar 6.

Confusion reigns supreme.

I feel sorry for the new CEO, Michael Lohscheller, who didn't come up with the idea but seems to be spending lots of time defending it.

He likens it to Apple.  Which is wrong.  He should be likening it to the company I alluded to back in April last year - Renault.

When I also asked the question, "I wonder how many years it will be before they realise the error of this strategy and change to a better system."

Renault gradually and quietly replaced numbers with names and would never speak of them again.

Until they had a big hit with the new 4 and 5.

If they follow the Polestar numbering system, the next retro electric car will be a cute version of the Renault 7:

Oh dear - I think the number's up.

The Numbers Up!

No, this isn't a Volkswagen story - it's a Polestar story.

Their boss, Thomas Ingenlath, has been talking about the future.

Drive.com.au are reporting on it here.

When it comes time for a replacement, the Polestar 2...

...is not going to be replaced with another Polestar 2.

It will be replaced with the Polestar n 

where

n =

the next integer not already assigned to a Polestar.

And the rest of the range...

...will follow suit as their lifespans also come to an end.

Apparently this means that they aren't stuck forever with a car called the Polestar 2 never being able to evolve into anything other than an electric SUV that is actually more of a saloon car - which, incidentally is why I like it - it isn't, despite what Polestar tell you, an SUV.

I wonder how many years it will be before they realise the error of this strategy and change to a better system.

In 15 years time, people will be having conversations like...

• "I really fancy a Polestar 17"
• "Really? Why do you want a van?"
• "I don't! The 17 is a two-seater sports car."
• "I thought the sports car was the Polestar 19"

And in 45 years time, people will be having conversations like...

• "I really fancy a Polestar 102"
• "Really? Why do you want a van?"
• "I don't! The 102 is a two-seater sports car."
• "I thought the sports car was the Polestar 114"

Or maybe, just maybe, retro will be back in - and they'll do a cute new Polestar 2.

I wonder where that idea suddenly sprang in to my head from?

Parisian Walkway

At the rate the current mayor is going, that'll be the only way to get around Paris.

First she banned electric scooters.

Now she's making it very expensive to park SUVs in the city.

She's had a vote and 3.11% of the the Paris population said it was a good idea.  How pathetic!  After all, a whole 7.2% wanted to see the back of the scooters.

Needless to say, lot's of people didn't vote.

But how are they defining an SUV?  After all, Volvo define a Polestar 2 as an SUV - and it's very similar in size (including ride-height) to my S60.

So not an SUV.

Apparently, they are going on weight.

But then electric cars are REALLY heavy, what about them?

Well, they are exempt.

As are taxi drivers, tradespeople, health-workers and people with disabilities.

So probably most people in Paris then.

Or, perhaps Mme.Hidalgo is a petrol-head.

Could you imagine if it did actually have an effect?  Imagine a city with no scooters and SUVs!  Just proper cars!

And imagine an end to this sort of thing: