I got to drive a Polaris Slingshot ages ago. One of my friends had one and we'd decided to take it to the industrial park behind my then-apartment complex to shoot some dope dusk photos with the Los Angeles skyline in the background. I'd never really understood the allure of the machine, so I went to help him and for the lark of the experience.
I was actually pretty surprised to find out how much stupid fun it was. Egg on my face.
That's not me saying I'm prepared to fork over my hard-earned cash on one, it's not my strawberry jam. But, after feeling the torque of the motor, having the ability to crank on the handbrake to initiate a slide, and then dumping the clutch to keep the slide going, all while you're exposed to the sights and sounds of the world: I get it.
But what's wild is that it's now been a decade since Polaris dropped the original Slingshot on a stunned public. And while much of the motorcycling world believed it wouldn't catch on, well, I'm writing this story about the brand celebrating the trike's success ten years later with a special edition model. Egg on everyone's face.
Welcome to the world, Slingshot 10. The name might need some work, but I've been wrong before.
"Looking back at our journey over the last decade," says Josh Hermes, Polaris Slingshot's VP, adding, "Slingshot has been a catalyst to bring new customers into the powersports category while at the same time growing into a lifestyle, becoming the center point for like-minded people to get out, socialize, and enjoy the open road. We wanted to create a true showpiece to honor 10 years of Slingshot, a decade that has been redefined by groundbreaking innovations and the creation of a whole new category. With Slingshot 10, we’re excited to deliver our most premium limited edition with exclusive 10th anniversary styling, features and accessories to celebrate this important milestone and community we’ve built."
And Hermes isn't kidding about premium. I mean, this baby has heated AND cooled seats!
According to Polaris, the Slingshot 10 comes with all the bells and whistles that customers tend to have asked for over the years, as well as added to their rides via the brand's catalog. As I mentioned, you get heated and cooled seats with stitched 10th-anniversary lettering in the headrests, and anniversary graphics ghosted into the trike's paint. The paint, too, is special, as the Slingshot 10 is finished in Radiant Red Pearl, which harkens back to the original's paint scheme. Black, white, and teal accents are used elsewhere.
In the passenger compartment (cockpit?), Polaris added a color-matched steering wheel, as well as in the instrument cluster, and glovebox. A special Stage 3 Max Rockford-Fosgate stereo adds some bass to your ride, letting drivers rock TF out whenever they feel like it. Just keep it down near schools if you're playing NWA. Or don't. I'm not your mother.
The 7-inch display features Polaris' now-ubiquitous Ride Command software that allows for a host of functions, including GPS and more, and even supports CarPlay. The interior lighting is from XKGlow, which is basically underglow for your interior and is sure to be a hit while cruising Daytona at night.
As for performance, it gets some modest updates, as the company states there was a "modest" bump in both horsepower and torque using the R-Line tune as its base. That's 204 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque for those playing at home. Both a manual and automatic transmission will be available for customers to choose from. And lastly, Brembos get the Slingshot 10 to stop faster than you can say Slingshot 10. Polaris also introduced a new 5-spoke Honeycomb wheel design for the trike, too.
Polaris states that it's now shipping the Slingshot 10 to select dealerships around the country, but that supplies will be limited. The company doesn't say how many it intends to build, either. What Polaris does state is price, and it's not what I'd call cheap. Die-hard customers will have the chance to snag a Slingshot 10 for a cool $38,999. And that's a lot for someone that's not already in the Slingshot ecosystem or demographic.
But given that every single Slingshot I've ever seen on the road has a healthy amount of aftermarket parts and accessories to make them more unique and personalized, it's probably not outside the realm of what folks are already paying for. And based on how many times I smiled while driving the thing those many years ago, I sorta get it now.
Sorta.
