CARGAZING Slingshot ‘Autocycle’ Thrills Polaris Vehicle Brilliantly Blurs the Line Between ,

By Derek Price The Slingshot is built under fed- CARGAZING.COM eral rules, though, so there are no , side impact hen the traffic light protection or collapsible steering turns green, I mash columns required. the gas pedal, let out As such, both Polaris and com- the light-as-a-feather mon sense say you should wear a Wclutch, then feel a single rear wheel helmet at all times. Depending on fighting to grip the pavement as the where you live, you may also be engine winds up to an ear-splitting required by law to wear one. wail just inches in front of my knees. Pricing starts at $19,999 for the From that first moment, it was basic Slingshot S and ranges up to clear I’d be spending the week driv- $30,999 for the SLR LE trim I tested, ing something special — and hard including its impressive, weather- to define. proof touchscreen, backup camera This alien-looking, three-wheeled and powerful sound system. contraption is one of the most thrill- ing and unusual vehicles I’ve ever driven, offering a hint of supercar What was tested? styling and excitement but lacking 2018 Polaris Slingshot SLR LE some things I’ve come to expect in ($30,999). Options: None. Price even the cheapest cars, including as tested: $30,999 doors, a roof and basic safety : 105 in. equipment. Ground clearance: 5 in. PHOTOS COURTESY OF POLARIS SLINGSHOT It’s called the Slingshot. Width: 1,749 lbs Not quite a and not quite a The Polaris Slingshot is an exciting, exotic-looking “autocycle,” a vehicle that occupies the gray space motorcycle, the Slingshot occupies between cars and motorcycles. Length: 149.6 in. the gray space in between. Its maker, Width: 77.9 in. Polaris, says it’s an “autocycle,” a fit- What’s it like to drive? And just as The basic operation feels similar The Slingshot’s four-cylinder, Height: 51.9 in. ting term from a company known important, how are regulators deal- to driving a car, albeit an insanely 173-horsepower engine is sourced Engine: 2.4-liter four cylinder for its snowmobiles, ATVs and ing with an oddball vehicle that fast one. Just like a proper sports from General Motors, and I think it’s (173 hp, 168 ft-lbs) motorcycles sold under the Indian delightfully blurs the line between car, it has three pedals — , a great fit for several reasons. One, and Victory brands. cars and motorcycles? brake and gas — and a five-speed the power-to-weight ratio is spot-on : Five-speed . Adjustable perfect. It’s borderline overpowered manual Bilstein shocks help the driver feel for a vehicle that weighs just 1,749 Fuel economy: Not rated intimate with the pavement. pounds, exactly how I like it. It also Handling is fascinating in the sounds spectacular. The visceral sen- RATINGS Slingshot because of its tricycle lay- sations of driving something so fast, Style: 10 out. It rides just 5 inches off the loud and windy can stir the soul. Performance: 10 ground with an extremely low center And because it’s a well-known Price: 8 of gravity, so you can fling it around engine from an American car com- Handling: 7 corners with mind-bending quick- pany, finding shops to service it ness. But because of that lone rear shouldn’t be a problem even in Ride: 5 wheel, the back-end traction will rural areas. It’s tried and true. Comfort: 2 always be your limiting factor, wheth- From a regulatory standpoint, Quality: 6 er accelerating from a dead stop or though, this vehicle is anything Overall: 8 carving corners on a racetrack. but that. Despite its traction deficit, the States are having to figure out what Why buy it? rear end doesn’t have much of a the rules should be for a machine that It offers many of the same high tendency to swing out because so doesn’t fall into traditional columns. speed and one-with-the-world much of the Slingshot’s weight, A growing majority of states, currently sensations as a motorcycle, but including the engine, rests on its 43, require only a valid driver’s license A weatherproof touchscreen is the centerpiece of the Ride Command front axle. A nicely tuned traction to drive the Slingshot, meaning no with the added convenience and system, an optional technology package that offers navigation, vehicle control system keeps it pointed in special training is required beyond comfort of a two-seat, car-like data and a bluetooth connection to your smartphone. the right direction, too. that of driving a car. layout. CARGAZING

PHOTOS COURTESY OF POLARIS SLINGSHOT The Polaris Slingshot is an exciting, exotic-looking “autocycle,” a vehicle that occupies the gray space between cars and motorcycles. Slingshot ‘Autocycle’ Thrills Polaris Vehicle Brilliantly Blurs the Line Between Cars, Motorcycles

By Derek Price CARGAZING.COM hen the traffic light turns green, I mash the gas pedal, let out the light-as-a-feather clutch, then feel a single W rear wheel fighting to grip the pavement as the engine winds up to an ear-splitting wail just inches in front of my knees.

From that first moment, it was driving something so fast, loud clear I’d be spending the week and windy can stir the soul. driving something special — and And because it’s a well-known hard to define. engine from an American car This alien-looking, three-wheeled company, finding shops to contraption is one of the most thrill- service it shouldn’t be a problem ing and unusual vehicles I’ve ever even in rural areas. It’s tried driven, offering a hint of supercar and true. styling and excitement but lacking From a regulatory standpoint, some things I’ve come to expect in though, this vehicle is anything even the cheapest cars, including but that. doors, a roof and basic safety States are having to figure out equipment. what the rules should be for a It’s called the Slingshot. machine that doesn’t fall into Not quite a car and not quite traditional columns. A growing a motorcycle, the Slingshot occu- majority of states, currently 43, pies the gray space in between. require only a valid driver’s license Its maker, Polaris, says it’s an to drive the Slingshot, meaning no “autocycle,” a fitting term from a special training is required beyond company known for its snowmo- that of driving a car. biles, ATVs and motorcycles sold The Slingshot is built under under the Indian and Victory federal motorcycle rules, though, brands. so there are no airbags, side What’s it like to drive? And just impact protection or collapsible as important, how are regulators A weatherproof touchscreen is the centerpiece of the Ride Command system, an optional technology steering columns required. dealing with an oddball vehicle package that offers navigation, vehicle data and a bluetooth connection to your smartphone. As such, both Polaris and com- that delightfully blurs the line mon sense say you should wear a between cars and motorcycles? Handling is fascinating in the accelerating from a dead stop or The Slingshot’s four-cylinder, helmet at all times. Depending on The basic operation feels simi- Slingshot because of its tricycle carving corners on a racetrack. 173-horsepower engine is sourced where you live, you may also be lar to driving a car, albeit an layout. It rides just 5 inches off Despite its traction deficit, the from General Motors, and I think required by law to wear one. insanely fast one. Just like a the ground with an extremely rear end doesn’t have much of a it’s a great fit for several reasons. Pricing starts at $19,999 for proper sports car, it has three low center of gravity, so you tendency to swing out because so One, the power-to-weight ratio is the basic Slingshot S and ranges pedals — clutch, brake and gas — can fling it around corners with much of the Slingshot’s weight, spot-on perfect. It’s borderline up to $30,999 for the SLR LE trim and a five-speed manual trans- mind-bending quickness. But including the engine, rests on its overpowered for a vehicle that I tested, including its impressive, mission. Adjustable Bilstein because of that lone rear wheel, front axle. A nicely tuned traction weighs just 1,749 pounds, exactly weatherproof touchscreen, shocks help the driver feel inti- the back-end traction will always control system keeps it pointed in how I like it. It also sounds spec- backup camera and powerful mate with the pavement. be your limiting factor, whether the right direction, too. tacular. The visceral sensations of sound system.

A CLOSER LOOK

AT A GLANCE: FACTS, FIGURES AND RATINGS What was tested? RATINGS Why buy it? 2018 Polaris Slingshot SLR LE ($30,999). Options: None. Price as Style: 10 It offers many of the same tested: $30,999 Performance: 10 high speed and one-with- Wheelbase: 105 in. Price: 8 the-world sensations as a Ground clearance: 5 in. Handling: 7 motorcycle, but with the Width: 1,749 lbs Ride: 5 added convenience and Length: 149.6 in. Comfort: 2 comfort of a two-seat, Width: 77.9 in. Quality: 6 car-like layout. Height: 51.9 in. Overall: 8 Engine: 2.4-liter four cylinder (173 hp, 168 ft-lbs) Transmission: Five-speed manual Fuel economy: Not rated