The Polestar 4 has no rear window. Its Korean designer explains why.

Industry

The Polestar 4 has no rear window. Its Korean designer explains why.

Published: 14 Aug. 2024, 18:46 Updated: 16 Aug. 2024, 14:49

SARAH CHEA
chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr

Designer Lee Su-bum, who led the design of Polestar 4, talks during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily in central Seoul on Tuesday. [POLESTAR KOREA]

[INTERVIEW]

Polestar 4’s surprising rear windowless design originated from some pencil sketches by designer Lee Su-bum, the only Korean exterior designer working for the Sweden-based auto brand.

“Ninety percent of my initial sketches are reflected in the final design of the Polestar 4,” Lee said during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Tuesday, held on the sidelines of the vehicle’s launch event in central Seoul.

“Of course, the unconventional design faced a lot of resistance during the development process, but now, the Polestar 4 embodies the direction the brand seeks to pursue in the future.”

The 33-year-old led the entire design process for the Polestar 4. After studying car design at India’s G.D. Goenka World School and the College for Creative Studies in Michigan, Lee started his career at Volvo Cars, the parent company of Polestar, where he primarily worked on designing facelifted models.

Pencil sketches of Polestar 4, by designer Lee Su-bum, in the very early phrases of development. [POLESTAR KOREA]

Lee moved to Polestar in 2021 and also contributed to designing the side mirrors of the Polestar 2, the very first lineup from the all-electric brand.

“I chose to eliminate the rear window to address the major disadvantage of coupe-style SUVs: Insufficient headroom in the rear seats,” Lee said. “It was an innovative design that had never been attempted before, but Polestar proved that it is possible.”

Lee credited Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath for his support in transforming his sketches into a final product. Ingenlath is a renowned designer with experience at global automakers such as Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Volvo.

Designer Lee Su-bum poses with the Polestar 4 during an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily in central Seoul on Tuesday. [POLESTAR KOREA]

“Having a designer as CEO is a blessing. He provided a lot of feedback throughout the design process for the Polestar 4,” Lee said. “I heard he was really impressed when he first saw my rear windowless design.”

The groundbreaking design also incorporates important safety features, which are always a priority for the brand, Lee said.

“The high-resolution rearview camera installed on the roof offers a wider view than what drivers could see through a traditional rear window,” Lee said. “Every aspect of the design, including the rounded body shape, is intended to cushion impacts in case of an accident.”

“The fender line is angled at 47 degrees to minimize shocks in the event of a collision with a pedestrian,” Lee added. “The hood is designed to be less rigid to absorb shocks during crashes.”

The Polestar 4 arrived in Korea on Tuesday as the second Polestar model available in the country, following the Polestar 2, which was introduced in 2022.

Featuring a coupe-style design, it is also the fastest Polestar to date, accelerating from zero to 100 kilometers per hour (63 miles per hour) in just 3.8 seconds.

The starting price is 67 million won ($48,900) in Korea, making it the most affordable Polestar globally, excluding China — up to 30 million won cheaper than in major markets like the United States and Europe.

Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in October.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]