Every summer I look forward to two weeks with one car: the Polaris Slingshot. This three-wheel sports beast looks like few things on the road today. It not only continues to attract favorable attention, the company continues to make it better each year.
The 2024 Polaris Slingshot Roush Edition puts out 203 horsepower for the three-wheeler.
This is my third time in what friends affectionately have dubbed “The Batmobile.” I guess that makes me Bruce Wayne … at least for a few weeks.
Getting repeated time in the same unique vehicle really gives a driver a chance to see what kind of improvements have — or haven’t — been made.
This year, I found some significant improvements in the Slingshot.
Slow car fast
One of the enjoyable parts of driving this part-motorcycle, part-peacock is seeing just how hard you can push it. I’m a proponent of “slow car fast,” which is the idea that pushing a slow car to its limits, or as fast as it’ll go, is just as much fun as “fast car fast” and a hundred times better than “fast car slow.”
The Slingshot used to be a prime example for me. However, the Roush Edition model I drove this year was simply fast car fast … or at the very least, fast car quick. According to the folks at Polaris it’ll race from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. That’s on par with plenty of sporty vehicles across the industry, but when you add in the fact you’re sitting in little more than tube frame with brightly colored plastic strapped to it, that sensation intensifies.
The two-seat gives you the option of a 5-speed manual or AutoDrive automatic with paddle shifters.
Good power
Polaris powers the Slingshot with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. It puts out 203 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque. It does all this on a vehicle that can be just 1,633 pounds.
The Roush Edition with the larger wheels, roof, etc. weighs in at 1,680 pounds with the 5-speed manual. Add 12 pounds if you buy it with the AutoDrive automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Do yourself a favor — buy the manual. It’s a joy to drive, delivering power quickly and smoothly. In the past, I’ve had a few sticky moments with the Polaris manual, but not this time.
Sit down, hang on
With power coming from one, belt-driven 12-inch tire at the back, it’s surprisingly responsive with no tail slip, even in the rain. To be fair, much of that is made possible by the traction control. Not that I’ve done it, but if you shut that nanny off on a wet day, you can do donuts to your hearts content — or once, just to see.
The 5-speed manual is the way to go with the Roush Edition model.
While the Roush Edition doesn’t offer any power improvements over the rest of the lineup, it does offer a few upgrades that probably made my time more enjoyable, starting with the Roush seats. I’m a big man — not tall, big — and getting in and out of the Slingshot requires some effort. However, once in that seat, I felt secure and comfortable regardless of what paces I was putting the car through.
In addition to the seat keeping me in place, the Brembo 4-piston aluminum brakes with slotted rotors made sure I could stop quickly and the twin tube gas-charged coil overs and independent double wishbone suspension made twisties and other hard curves so much fun.
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