The Polaris Slingshot is an emotional purchase. Why else would anyone spend north of $25,000 on this roofless tricycle without room for more than two people or really any of their stuff?
Need practicality and, well, a real roof? Then go out and buy yourself a generic crossover SUV. The Slingshot, however, combines near-motorcycle-like dynamics without the hassle of obtaining a motorcycle license (well, in most states). It also offers the comfortable seating position of a car and wild styling that’s unlike just about anything else on the road today. Now, Polaris is taking that last bit a step further with its 2020 Slingshot Grand Touring LE, a special-edition Slingshot limited to fewer than 300 units.
The $33,999 ($34,299 in California)—before adding in destination fees—Grand Touring LE adds an eye-catching coat of green paint to its body and rear fender, which complements bronze-painted wheels (18-inch units at the front and a single 20-inch wheel at the rear) and exterior decor. Other niceties include a 9.5-inch tall windshield, a body-color roof, interior accent lighting, black seats with contrasting bronze stitching, and a 7.0-inch infotainment screen with an in-dash navigation function.
Like the rest of the Slingshot line, the Grand Touring LE relies on a 178-hp 2.0-liter inline-four for motivation—plenty of grunt for a sub-2,000-pound two-seater. That said, those in search of more oomph can drop $599.99 for the Stage 1 engine tune, which raises the engine’s total output to 203 horses.
For better or worse, Polaris strictly offers the Grand Touring LE strictly with the Slingshot’s five-speed “Autodrive” automatic transmission. While we’d prefer the available five-speed manual gearbox, we certainly view the self-shifting transmission with high regard. In fact, MotorTrend‘s own Scott Evans declared it “the best automated manual I’ve driven” in a recent review of the 2020 Slingshot R. High praise, indeed.
Whether the alluring looks and additional kit of the Grand Touring LE are worth the nearly $2,000 extra Polaris charges for it relative to the lesser Slingshot R—which comes standard with 203 hp and offers a manual transmission—is a matter of personal taste (the base, automatic-only Slingshot SL, meanwhile, costs nearly $7,500 less than the Grand Touring LE). Regardless, we say let your emotions lead the way.
