Yahoo Autos 2021 Polaris Slingshot R Review | Making a case for the manual
COLUMBUS, Ohio — We like quirky vehicles that don’t fit into established segments, like the Polaris Slingshot. We love manual transmissions. It’s certainly no surprise, then, that after spending a couple of weeks with a 2021 Slingshot equipped with a proper shift lever and clutch pedal, we walked away secure in the knowledge that the five-speed manual transmission is the way to go for the ultimate three-wheeled experience.
Besides the gearbox, there isn’t much difference between the Slingshot life between the automatic we tested last year and the manual we tested this fall. Nothing changes with the seating position, the 2.0-liter engine — tuned to offer 178 horsepower at 8,500 rpm in the S and SL models, or 203 hp at 8,250 rpm in the S model we tested — or the handling characteristics. Either way, the Slingshot offers the kind of low-slung, wind-in-your-hair, barely-there experience of a classic roadster.
Those ponies supplied by the Polaris-designed four-cylinder engine come on strong as the revs climb. The base engine produces 120 pound-feet of torque while the upgraded version kicks out 144 lb-ft. With a curb weight of just 1,653 pounds (1,667 with the automatic), the power-to-weight ratio of 8.1 lb/hp pushes the Slingshot R to 60 miles per hour in just 4.9 seconds. The top speed is limited to 125 miles per hour, but that certainly feels sufficient.
