It looks like the three-wheeled nephew of a KTM X-Bow, but it is classified as a motorcycle, so you might as well grab a helmet before jumping inside the recently-unveiled Polaris Slingshot.

Powered by a 2.4-liter Ecotec engine with 173 hp and 166 lb ft of torque, the all-new three-wheeler hasn’t had it performance numbers revealed by Polaris yet, but considering that its four-pot only has to move just 756 kg (1,666 pounds) of dry weight, we suspect it should be pretty snappy around a track and not only.

Even though it comes equipped with car-like seats and three-point seat safety belts, both the driver and the passenger have to wear helmets in every state with helmet laws, while the driver has to possess a motorcycle license.

“A three-wheeled vehicle offers an experience that’s just like a motorcycle – the open air and the wind in your face,” says Chris Doucet, in charge of the Slingshot project at Polaris. “But the three-wheel stance adds an extra level of stability.”

The Slingshot should hit US dealerships in September, with retail pricing to start at $19,999 and end at $23,999.

For a three-wheeler with 173 hp, a five speed manual transmission, short header exhaust and a carbon fiber reinforced rear belt drive, the Polaris Slingshot may actually prove a bigger success than vehicles like the Campagna T-Rex or the BRP CanAm, especially since it looks like a nice compromise between the two.

By Alex Oagana

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