Some call the Polaris Slingshot a Car-Motorcycle Tweener. The Slingshot with it’s radical design looks somewhat like the Morgan with it’s three wheels yet the two passenger vehicle it is not classified as a car and lacking in automobile crash safety standards.

2015 slingshot three wheeler
2015 Polaris Slingshot

For an example, as of this writing the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has not licensed the Slingshot and has kept it off the state’s roadways. Other states have classified the vehicle as a three wheel motorcycle and in those cases the 2015 Polaris Slingshot is a street-legal three-wheeler. States that classify the Slingshot as a motorcycle will likely enforce all rules and laws pertaining to motorcycle operation.

The Company and the Model

Polaris of course is a manufacturer of recreational vehicles and their Slingshot was designed with some characteristics of their ATV’s. As a side note, Polaris is also the parent company of Indian Motorcycles and Victory Motorcycles.

polaris slingshot engine
2.4 L Engine

There are two different models of the Slingshot. The base model features titanium metallic aint, 17″ alloy wheels upfront, and an 18″ wheel in the rear.

The premium model called Slingshot SL features red pearl paint, larger 18in forged aluminum wheels upfront and a 20in wheel in the rear, and a blade windscreen for wind protection.

The vehicle is a head turner as you can plainly see in these photos. Slingshot™ is an entirely new on-road driving and riding experience. The open air cockpit of Slingshot™ hits you with a 360 degree rush of sight, sound, and smell. With side by side seating, both driver and passenger experience a front row shot of adrenaline

Power for the 1700 lb. vehicle comes from a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. Power is sent to the rear wheel at 173 hp. The steering is power assisted and the vehicle has a five speed manual gearbox.

Specifications for the Polaris Slingshot, per the manufacturer are as follows…

  • ECO TEC 2.4 Liter DOHC Engine developed by General Motors
  • 5-Speed Manual Transmission
  • High-Strength Steel Spaceframe
  • 3-Point Seatbelts
  • LED Taillights and Projector – Beam Headlights
  • Double-Wishbone Front Suspension with Sway Bar
  • Electronic Power-Assisted Steering
  • Electronic Stability Control
  • ABS Disk Brakes
  • Tilt Steering
  • Adjustable, Waterproof Seats
  • Lockable Storage Bins and Glove Box
  • Slingshot front wheels are 17″ and the rear wheel is 18″.
  • Polaris Slingshot measures 149.6 inches in length, 77.6 inches in width, 51.9 inches in height and it has a 105-inch long wheelbase.

See additional articles on our Auto Museum Online site on the links below…

The Morgan Superdry

1917-1923 Smith / Briggs and Stratton Flyer Cycle Car

 1924 Hydrogen Powered Model T

2015 slingshot three wheeler
2015 Slingshot

One review of the Slingshot published on motorcycleusa.com is as follows:

It looks like something out of Michael Bay’s subconscious – projector-beam headlights as eyes, its futuristic bodywork angular and edgy, with wide-set wheels and low-profile rubber setting a muscular stance. A dorsal fin rises between two roll bars, the machine’s truncated tail showcasing a hefty coil-over shock and stout single-sided swingarm. In a sense Polaris’ three-wheeled 2015 Slingshot is a transformer, part car, part motorcycle, a sophisticated machine with an Electronic Stability Program (ESP), traction control and ABS, the sum of its parts aimed at a riding experience that raises heart rates and adrenalin levels.

The 2015 Slingshot has been in development for the last three years. Polaris was granted a patent for its three-wheeler on September 17, 2013, with Garth H. Bracy, Gurminder S. Bhandal and Greg Brew listed as inventors.

(Article and photos copyright Auto Museum Online)

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