2015 Polaris Slingshot

The first time you see the Polaris Slingshot coming at you. it looks like a set piece from some big-budget Marvel movie—this is a mode of transportation for someone with a secret identity and superpowers. There's that wide arachnid front end -skimming the pavement with spats and spoilers and open-wheel fenders. a prototype racer from the future. Then the rest of the machine comes into view. and it gets even wilder. The back end tapers to a point. where a hefty swing arm carries a carbon-fiber--reinforced belt that drives a single tire. From the front seats forward. it's like a car—bucket seats. steering wheel. GM Ecotec four-cylinder hooked to a five-speed manual transmission. From the rear it's a giant mutant motorcycle. And that distinction makes all the difference—the Slingshot's odd wheel count both -defines its identity and allows it to exist in the first place. Because the Slingshot has three wheels. the federal government classifies it as a motorcycle. That means. depending on the state. you might need a motorcycle license and a helmet to drive it. Of course. it's not really a motorcycle. but it's certainly not a car either. At any rate. the motorcycle designation gave Polaris. maker of snowmobiles and off-roaders called side-by-sides. the freedom to design a machine with no doors. no roof. and no windshield (it's an option). There's no climate control. no airbags. This is a minimalist transportation experience—1. 25 pounds and the wind in your face. The Slingshot makes a Lotus Elise look flabby and decadent. It's not really a motorcycle. but it's certainly not a car either However. as a street vehicle the Slingshot still has to pass muster with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. and its rollout was marred by two significant recalls. On Jan. 20 Polaris issued a recall concerning the roll hoops. which might not meet specifications for hardness. And you'd want to have strong roll hoops if you experienced the defect announced the next day. which involves a bearing in the steering rack. Per the recall notice. "If the steering pinion gear disengages from the steering rack. a loss of steering control could result. increasing the risk of a crash. " Polaris is not a carmaker. but right now it's learning that NHTSA has certain expectations for street vehicles. like ensuring that they steer. Assuming all the important parts remain bolted together. the potential for vehicular mayhem is somewhat limited by the Polaris' humble powertrain. By car standards. the Slingshot's got a great power-to-weight ratio. with the 2. 4-liter four-cylinder putting out 173 horsepower. Zero to sixty is probably around five seconds. and with traction control disabled the Slingshot will light up its rear tire. That said. Ducati riders accustomed to ten-second quarter-miles won't find that sort of thrill.