Polestar has announced the winner of its 2024 Design Contest. This year’s competition, held in collaboration with Hot Wheels, invited contestants to submit designs inspired by its 1:64 scale and Polestar’s design language.
In the end, Shashank Shekhar, a professional designer from India, won first prize for his rugged off-roader, ‘Polestar TRX’.
The concept, with its exaggerated proportions and sleek surfaces, presents a bold interpretation of Polestar’s normally subtle design philosophy.
Moreover, the design becomes the first Polestar to be included in Hot Wheels toy car series. The die-cast collectable will be available mid-2025.
Shekhar commented “I’m thrilled to win. I never thought that someday, something I have created would end up as a Hot Wheels car.”
Second place went to Italy’s Powei Chen for his colourful ‘Cyber Shaker’. It features nods to both the past and the present with its eye-catching cyberpunk design.
Roman Moor’s classic Le Mans submission from Germany received an honourable mention. His ‘Polestar Track Toy’ concept impressed the judges who came from both Polestar and Mattel.
For more than 50 years, Hot Wheels has driven car culture for fans of all ages. Polestar has also established a rich history of supporting aspiring student and professional vehicle designers through its contests.
The 2024 contest was the fourth design competition instigated by Polestar and attracted over 1200 participants. Judges were instructed to select designs that reflected the playfulness of the Hot Wheels brand. They also had to incorporate elements of Polestar’s minimalist design aesthetic.
Ted Wu Senior Vice President and Global Head of Design at Mattel said “It was a pleasure for Hot Wheels to collaborate with Polestar for this innovative design contest.
“We are looking forward to seeing the ‘Polestar TRX’ in a 1:64 scale and welcoming this die-cast to be included in our Hot Wheels history.”
Juan-Pablo Bernal, Head of Interior Design at Polestar, concurred saying “I can’t wait to see what the ‘Polestar TRX’ collectible will look like in real life”.
