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HotCars contributor Michael Van Runkle rediscovers everything great about the Polaris Slingshot thanks to a stick shift and clutch pedal.

Two months ago, Polaris loaned me a 2021 Slingshot for two weeks equipped with paddle shifters as a new model-year bonus. Check out my previous articles and reviews for more in depth on that Slingshot but rest assured, I found the entire process of getting used to the Slingshot's radical three-wheel design hindered by the lurchy, slow-shifting automatic transmission.

Underneath the Slingshot's aggressive skin, though, something special did rear up every now and then, even with the automatic, so to help me feel more positive about the product, Polaris decided to lock  me in for a stick-shift Slingshot loaner, once again for two weeks.

The difference feels like night and day. Where I never got fully acclimatized to the automatic and paddle shifters either in town or canyon carving, I found myself wanting to spend more time up in the hills with the manual. The whole vehicle coalesces into a much more enjoyable enthusiast machine—and for anyone interested in the Slingshot from purely a performance perspective, the manual transmission is a must.

Of course, plenty of Slingshot buyers want the eye-catching, head-turning Star Wars "pod racer" looks, plus the loud engine and absurdly powerful sound system. For those customers, the automatic should do just fine—for anyone who wants to drive fast, hone their heel-toe technique, and do so all on a pretty tight budget, the stick shift Slingshot needs to be on the short list of new vehicles that truly stand in a class of their own.

In this video, I focus mostly on the driving dynamics and overall experience of driving the Polaris Slingshot when equipped with the manual transmission—the fact that Polaris wanted to make sure I experienced the Slingshot with a stick shift stands as a testament to their belief in their product. And they do truly manage an impressive feat with the ProStar engine, which allows for a sky-high redline that officially sits at 8,250 RPM but in real-world driving seems more like 8,500 RPM (or maybe even the 9,000 RPM that I saw once or twice).

That kind of powerplant deserves a stick shift—as anybody with a Honda S2000 or E46 BMW M3 will no doubt attest. But of course, Polaris had to build an automatic version to expand the potential customer base and my current theory is they simply think that all the people buying the Slingshot with paddle shifters just won't even notice the slow shifts, since that's not what they're interested in anyway.

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Specifically, the ProStar engine displaces 2.0 liters and serves as the first inline-four engine ever built in house by Polaris. In "R" trim, like both the Slingshots I received as loaners, the ProStar produces 203 horsepower and 144 lb-ft of torque, which doesn't sound like much until you realize the whole thing has to weigh less than 1,749 pounds to meet federal safety guidelines.

In entry-level "S" trim, the exact same engine puts out 178 horsepower and 120 lb-ft of torque. I requested an "S" Slingshot that starts just shy of $20,000 but all the press loaners tend to be the most well-optioned variants (for obvious reasons) and this Slingshot R could approach $35,000 with ease. But the major difference between the drivetrains is just an ECU tune, which fits into my vision (if I were to buy a Slingshot) of buying a base "S" model and seeing how much that lower power level still manages to spin the rear wheel regardless. Less than the overall peak horsepower stat, though, the lower torque figure at the lower end of the rev range might prove less than adequate, since that's not really the ProStar's happy place.

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The ProStar engine definitely wants to scream and snort—yes, it's got enough grunt to put-put around town staying under 3,000 RPM. But once above 3,500 RPM or so, the true spirit of the powerplant emerges. And to be fair, in first gear with the traction control fully activated, the Slingshot's single 305-millimeter rear tire remains eager to burn rubber off the line from lower RPMs just because of the lack of traction.

A better set of tires (or at least, a better single rear tire) might help the Slingshot handle the power more tamely—but that's kind of not the point here. With gear ratios that allow for 40 miles per hour in first, 70 or more in second, and about 110 mph in third, the whole point is to let that ProStar rev forever between shifts (and turning the traction control fully off allows the belt-driven rear tire to squeal with a mash of the accelerator pedal up to about 80 mph in third). On occasion, I even found myself surprised when I hit the redline—stuck in a daydream that this thing could just rev and rev forever.

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But shifting up to the next gear offers its own rewards, as the Slingshot's shifter actually serves quite well. The action seems a little light compared to some other hardcore sports cars I've driven, more in line with today's marketplace and very nearly resembling the feel of a 2017 Volkswagen Golf R's shifter, albeit with only five forward gears.

If this were my Slingshot forever, I'd probably look into a short-shift kit personally to help the shifter weight more closely match the steering weight in Slingshot Mode (again, a topic I covered repeatedly in my reviews of the automatic—but the answer is yes, I drove this Slingshot entirely in Slingshot Mode this time around, too).

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The clutch pedal weight matches the shifter's stock feel nicely, though it seems to engage at about the halfway point of travel up from the floor. Perhaps this can be attributed to a previous member of the automotive press frying the clutch a bit, though at only 1,600 pounds, the Slingshot shouldn't put a ton of pressure on its drivetrain even during hard-ish launches (since it actually weighs less than a ton and the rear wheel just loses grip regardless).

To the left of the clutch sits a tiny dead pedal, presumably for resting that left foot, though it's actually positioned behind the clutch pedal by just enough to render itself useless. The brake and accelerator pedals, meanwhile, sit just close enough to allow for some heel-toe while downshifting, which actually becomes more like big-toe-and-pinkie-toe action because Polaris built the Slingshot with a top-hinging accelerator pedal rather than a floor-hinging design that would have allowed for true heel-toe. I wear narrow size-10 shoes and did find my foot slipping off the brake pedal occasionally—some rubber pedal pads or the optional wider Sparco pedals available from Polaris would probably help immensely (or maybe I just need newer, grippier shoes).

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Other than the shifter and clutch feel, the interior largely resembled the automatic Slingshot R I reviewed previously, though this one came with a few additional zippered storage bags that, in my opinion, serve no function other than to get in the way. They may seem necessary due to the Slingshot's inherent lack of secure storage—since it has no windows, no roof, and no doors—but really, for anyone not lugging around a bunch of filming equipment, driving the Slingshot with nothing to leave in the cockpit while parked seems like the way to go. Cubbies behind the seats ostensibly fit the helmets mandated here in California (not very comfortably) but for anyone in a more relaxed state, such concerns become moot.

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One major concern that jumped out for me after falling back in love with the stick-shift Slingshot was the brakes. Where the automatic had distracted my attention so much that I perhaps didn't notice enough the lack of bite, with the stick shift, even when downshifting to lower gears and trans braking during deceleration, the brakes simply couldn't inspire confidence. Luckily, in the hopes of keeping my speeds somewhat under control, I usually go full gas up the hills in Malibu and take it easier on the descents (cyclists, other drivers, hikers, and horses abound). And a quick Google search, plenty of aftermarket brake upgrades exist for the Slingshot—and the prices really aren't too terribly bad, either, considering the less-than-massive production figures

In my next video, I'll focus on this and other potential mods that some Slingshot owners might feel inclined to shell out for as add-ons to either that low-spec "S" model rather than spending their money buying additional options from the factory, or even the higher "SL" and "R" packages.

All in all, the stick shift truly helps elevate the Slingshot out of the curiosity category into the realm of genuinely enticing enthusiast option, though that market still largely falls into the range of people who already have at least one other more practical vehicle (if not two) to daily drive. And yet, if I were in the market for a new canyon carver at around the $20,000 price point, the Slingshot's attractiveness does take a big step up when equipped with the manual transmission.

Sources: youtube.com, polaris.com, and ddmworks.com.

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Michael Van Runkle grew up surrounded by Los Angeles car culture, going to small enthusiast meets and enormous industry shows. He learned to drive stick shift in a 1948 Chevy pickup with no first gear and currently dailies his 1998 Mitsubishi Montero while daydreaming about one day finishing up that Porsche 914 project. He's written in various media since graduating from UC Berkeley in 2010 and started at HotCars in February 2018.