On a blustery April afternoon I recently had the opportunity to visit the head office of Polaris Industries located in Medina, Minnesota (a suburb of Minneapolis).
Just off Highway 55 stands their large corporate office in a wide yawning field. I was on a mission to deliver some marketing material to several key Polaris executives, who were unavailable for a face-to-face meeting that day.
Inside the spacious of lobby was a cross section of the Polaris products including snowmobiles, ATVs, motorcycles, accessories, clothing (the new Klim line) and the Slingshot.
The Slingshot? I couldn't believe my eyes. I hadn't anticipated getting to see the innovative new Slingshot in person. The Slingshot is the Polaris concept vehicle that has become more than concept. It is a reality, sitting right in front of me in the Polaris head office lobby.
Exactly what is the Slingshot? What is the market for the Slingshot? Is it a novelty vehicle, a sports ATV, a promotional vehicle, a Can Am Spyder knockoff, or a niche market toy product?
It seems like the press doesn't know exactly how to describe the Slingshot either. Car and Driver magazine calls it, “the three-wheel Polaris – which makes it easy to pretend you’re in a Formula car; Cycle World describes it as, “a dramatic, three-wheeler that feels more like car than a bike,” ; Kelley Blue Book asks, “If it’s not quite a motorcycle and not quite a car, what exactly is the 3-wheeled Polaris Slingshot,”; even the prestigious Wall Street Journal waded in on the debate, “The Polaris Slingshot SL looks like a sports car in the front and a motorcycle in the back,” and is “an odd way to blow $24,000,” and Forbes magazine said, “ Polaris' new Slingshot is a three-wheeled motorcycle with side-by-side seating and a thrilling disposition.”
I asked the receptionist at the Polaris front desk if I could take some photos of the Slingshot, she said sure go ahead. So snapped a series of pictures and I am pleased to share them with you.
So what do you think the Polaris Slingshot is? All I know is that the only thing cooler than seeing the Slingshot live in-person would be to ride it or would that be drive it?
