Driving diary: From Sweden to the Sahara
A great road trip needs three things: great roads, great music, and above all, a great car. For Polestar 5 — a car that defines everything Polestar set out to achieve — only the grandest tour would do.
So then. The greatest grand tour of them all.
Polestar 5 will drive from our headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, all the way to the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
Memories will be made. The unexpected will happen. And throughout the journey, Polestar 5 will deliver a truly unique driving experience.
The tour
Over the next four weeks, a dozen Polestar 5s will cover 6,000 kilometres across nine territories.
Along the way, it will travel some of the finest driving roads in the world, crossing a wide range of landscapes and conditions.
This is an adventure we wish you could join us on. So to bring the journey to life, we will share a driving diary here, updating the page as the car makes its way to North Africa.
01/03
Gothenburg to Hanover
We're off. Gothenburg to the Sahara. What a journey this will be.
Early rise this morning. I have a feeling we'll be saying that a lot over the next four weeks. Light breakfast. About four quick coffees. Cars loaded. We're on the road.
A short drive later, we run into traffic. A complete three-lane standstill just south of Gothenburg. An accident further up is holding us, and a couple of thousand other cars, at bay. Not the start we wanted. But we'll be back in the open air soon enough. Driving behind the 5 on the motorway really is a sight to behold.
We're running now, but it's a race against the clock to meet the ferry which will take us to Germany. It's leaving… soonish.
The Swedish fields give way to Danish countryside, with the cruise control humming us along at a respectable pace. We arrive just a tad late and, with Scandinavian punctuality being what it is, we'll have to wait for the next ferry. These things happen. The weather is sunny, so no one is really complaining.
Forty-five minutes later, we're in Germany and the free-speed Autobahn awaits. Finally, we get to see what almost 900 horsepower can do. It doesn't disappoint. Hanover is next, with a quick pit stop in Hamburg where we've scouted a location for some content creation. An industrial bridge, with the Elbphilharmonie as the backdrop. Another coffee from a local roastery. Then another drive to Hanover.
That's enough for now.
A pattern is forming. Car. City. River. Road. I wonder how the landscape will change as the drive goes on?
Hanover to Strasbourg
Surprise, surprise! Early start again. We have a lot of miles to go until the Sahara. So I get the sense there will be a few more early mornings. Still, it is getting warmer.
Our only stop/shoot today is at Frankfurt Airport. Not the easiest location to photograph a car — still, excitement returns when we make our way back onto the Autobahn. The raw performance of the Polestar 5 makes any motorway on-ramp a bit of an event.
Next stop - Strasbourg. Another beautiful European city with a river running through it. A pattern is forming. Car. City. River. Road. I wonder how the landscape will change as the drive goes on?
The snow-crested tops of the mountains cropping up on the distant horizon like waypoints on a map.
Strasbourg to Annecy
This is where the scenery begins to change. Fields upon fields begin to be replaced with twisty mountain roads. Then, suddenly, the Alps begin to appear. The snow-crested tops of the mountains cropping up on the distant horizon like waypoints on a map.
There's just something about mountains that fills me with such calmness. I'm in awe of these giants that have been there since the beginning of time and will be here long after we're gone. This leg takes us to Geneva. Surprisingly chaotic to drive in — especially for a city so famous for its obsession with timekeeping. Everyone seems to be in a rush.
Still, the trip must go on. We stop at a bridge in central Geneva to capture some images of the Polestar 5. Chaotic but fun.
What is becoming clear on this mammoth adventure is just how much the temperature will change on our epic drive. Spring arrives earlier in mainland Europe and as time goes on, I am reminded of just how cold and dark Scandinavia can be throughout Winter. My Swedish eyes still haven't gotten used to all the light.
Annecy to Mane
It turns out the scenic part of our drive hadn't even got going properly on my last update. Or it had, but in different ways. I'm stunned. It's as picturesque as you can imagine. Mountain tops, fields with cows, people biking and hiking.
Every corner you turn opens up a new world full of lush greens and mountain tops with the last of the snow hanging on for dear life in the glistening sun. It's also in these corners that the joyful driving starts.
The serpentine roads lead you down a valley and up a mountain on repeat. Tough day to be Polestar 5 tyres — these corners are sharp and exciting, but the car just grips and grips.
Is nature the best designer? Drive the road and you tell me.
Mane to Nice
Another day, another stunning route. We're about two hours in when we begin our descent towards Nice. The landscape shifts from lush, rolling hills and a clean tree line to something more Mediterranean.
Grey rock formations mixed with year-round pines take hold of the landscape and don't let go. All around us, the rocks rise in what almost looks like waves crashing into each other. These layers upon layers must have formed under extremely violent geological forces, a very long time ago. Today, like most mountains, they are sleeping giants — and they ease my thoughts. There's something comforting in knowing they were here long before me and will be here long after I'm gone.
It's also on this road that you'll find the iconic natural tunnel we've shared on our socials. Next to the road, a turquoise river flows. Each turn the river takes, the road follows. Is nature the best designer? Drive the road and you tell me.
The day ends with us arriving in Nice quite late. Nice is supposed to be nice I'll have to find out for myself some other time.
Weeks on the road brought us closer. The car left its mark. So we left one too.
Nice to Aix-en-Provence
As with every other day, it's an early start. We hit the road and head back towards the magnificent pass we came down yesterday — only this time, we drive it in reverse, uphill. Climbing is personally more fun. Brake later, let the road naturally slow you down, feel the corners grip and sharpen. Peak driving.
After about an hour we take a different exit at a roundabout. The base camp gets set up in a small town plaza. Locals wonder what on earth is going on, but they're curious. We run a Starlink extension cable to the local bakery and start uploading the day's content.
The road after lunch takes us through forests, lavender fields and vineyards. It's glorious. Sometimes you need to put the camera down and just take it in.
Aix-en-Provence - Montpellier
The day starts surrounded by fields in every direction. It's provincial. But even here, charging is easy. After a brief stop we go in search of other essentials — a production road trip like this doesn't run on electricity alone. There's a significant caffeine requirement keeping this particular train on the rails.
After stocking up on Toro Rojo and fruit, we head towards the content hub. The drive takes us along a small road through a misty forest. Then, suddenly, a vineyard appears on our left — and we've made it.
We've made new friends on this journey. Weeks on the road brought us closer. The car left its mark. So we left one too. As people begin to drop off, they've taken up the pactice of signing one of the cars. I cant wait to see what it looks like at the end of this adventure.
The sun burns off the last of the mist as we head towards Montpellier. Next stop: some guerrilla-style driving near their Arc de Triomphe. Very beautiful. Very busy. Very Montpellier.
