The three-wheeled Polaris Slingshot has received a new 2.0L four-cylinder engine for the 2020 model year, ditching the General Motors 2.4L LE5 four-cylinder that was previously offered in the recreational vehicle.
Polaris has used the 173 horsepower, naturally aspirated GM EcoTec engine in its oddball three-wheeler since it was introduced for the 2015 model year. Polaris has made a number of major updates to the vehicle for 2020, though, which includes a new ProStar 2.0L engine that was developed in-house. The engine, which is the first four-cylinder developed by Polaris Industries, makes 178 horsepower at 8500 RPM. A more powerful version of the engine is also found in the new Polaris Slingshot R, where it makes 203 horsepower at 8,250 RPM.
The new 2.0L engine not only makes more power than the rather old EcoTec, but its high-revving nature should help the new Slingshot provide a livelier driving experience compared to the 2.4L EcoTec, which delivered its peak horsepower at 6,200 RPM.
Joining the new ProStar 2.0L is what Polaris calls a “hydraulically actuated automated manual five-speed synchromesh transmission,” which acts like a regular automatic and is good for those who want this as a leisurely cruising vehicle. For those that want a sportier driving experience, the five-speed manual transmission that was paired with the outgoing 2.4L EcoTec also remains available.
Polaris has also applied some other small changes to the 2020 Slingshot, including a revised chassis design and suspension setup, along with a new infotainment system. New exterior looks are in store as well, including new front accent lighting and headlights, new taillights and different color and wheel options.
The 2020 Polaris Slingshot will start at $26,499 for the base model SL with the automatic, while the more powerful R model begins at $30,999 for the five-speed manual model and $32,699 for the automatic.
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Comments
Few things scream “Mid-Life Crisis” louder than this…
“Mid-life crisis”? Ok. Ok. I guess i should have purchased a $30,000 Subie covered in lipstick.
The Sling is an engineering feat. Aluminum suspension, plastic body, tube frame. No windshield. 170 hp, 1700 lb, 2.4 litre, 5-point Saebelts, Formula 1 race car. No lipstick.
They ditched it because of economic reasons as now it is in house. Interesting it is less powerful and initially will not have the turbo chargers available if ever, like the EcoTec. A consumer had better wait a couple years to see if any issues for an engine that Polaris has no experience with.
Not sure where you read that the Polaris engines are less powerful. The 2.4L Ecotec is rated at 173hp, the lower horsepower engine from Polaris is rated at 178hp and the higher power engine is rated at 203hp. The new engines from Polaris do make less torque than the 2.4L Ecotec, but with the gearing change and revised final drive of the new 2020 Slingshot, there is more power available in most of the gears/speeds that most people will be driving the Slingshot.
Car and driver report. Yes, 5 more hp but way less torque.
“Torque is wispy in either model, with 120 lb-ft in the $26,499 SL model and 144 lb-ft in the R, compared to 166 lb-ft from the old GM tractor engine.”
I would hold off a couple years until the engine is proven.
The point I was trying to make in my earlier post is that because the gering changes in transmission, angle drive and belt drive, there is a higher multiplier of the torque, which translates to more peak torque at the rear wheel with the R in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears, and the base engine ends up with very similar torque at the wheel compared to the Ecotec in 4th and 5th gears.
Peak torque in 3rd gear
Ecotec – 921 ft/lbs
Prostar 2.0L 178Hp – 786 ft/lbs
Prostar 2.0L 203Hp – 943 ft/lbs
Peak torque in 4th gear
Ecotec – 609 ft/lbs
Prostar 2.0L 178Hp – 600 ft/lbs
Prostar 2.0L 203Hp – 720 ft/lbs
Peak torque in 5th gear
Ecotec – 444 ft/lbs
Prostar 2.0L 178Hp – 451 ft/lbs
Prostar 2.0L 203Hp – 541 ft/lbs
We are huge fan of the Ecotec here and have been making parts for it since 2006, we know the engine very well, but we have been in the new Slingshot and the Prostar engine is much smoother than the older Ecotec. It also seems to have a huge potential to breathe very well with light boost added to it. The engine has been tested and ran by Polaris for over 3 years now and it is based on the 1L engine RZR engine that they have had out for a long time, it is not completely new.
There are a lot of people that will be sitting on the sidelines to see how it shakes out with the new engine, but with the 4 year warranty that Polaris is offering on the pre-sales, that gives a lot of time to make sure everything is good.
Hope that helps,
Dave
The Ecotec is a very smooth engine, some say among the best. When it came out in the 1990s within a couple years Motor Trend if I recall commented that they thought it was smoother than the four offered in the Acura model.
I am a Polaris fan as I own one of their snowmobiles. My brother back in the late 1970s worked for a Polaris/E-Z Go distributor here in Illinois which was owned by Textron back then. I wouldn’t hesitate in buying a Polaris product just not this one.
Polaris has a four year warranty on last years new Patriot 850 snowmobile engine and that went through 3-4 years testing according to reports. A four year warranty is very impressive especially in a 2-stroke engine. Polaris brought in new consumers that likely would not have bought a Polaris otherwise, and their marketing and four year warranty are were the main reason. Well, the engine was not that sound after all with the crankshaft bearing failures. I am not sure how many failures or recalls, but obviously they failed in the bench testing somewhere.
Again, I mentioned they brought this new four cylinder engine out for economic reasons as to have an in house engine similar to when they separated from Textron with their Fuji engines back in the 1990s.
I wish them well and think they will be successful, but I believe it is best for consumers to wait a year or two for them to get the kinks out as again they have no experience in four cylinder engines.
Totally agree and coming from a new “R” model owner. It’s a RZR clone and custom fitted to the other components of the drive system. It is nothing short of total exhilaration to drive and has a quickness you have to acclimate too. Adding boost totally not necessary albeit bragging rights for majority of riders. The Slingshot has “come of age” with this new “R” model. At my age I’m not waiting years for the engine to prove itself. I got the extended warranty (which I alway do with vehicles anyways) and prefer to be one who dares to “prove” an engine myself.
It is very interesting and Easily explain.