Next-Generation Polaris Slingshot Could Attract a New Kind of Rider
It wasn't long ago that we were speculating that the Polaris Slingshot, a three-wheeled "open-air roadster" sold by powersports company Polaris Industries (NYSE: PII), is having a hard time making a business case for itself. It hasn't been having a great year sales-wise and it's acting as a drag on the bottom line of the company's motorcycle division, in contrast to Indian Motorcycle. However, some recently surfaced patent drawings tell us that it's not time to write off the Slingshot quite yet. There's some pretty strong evidence to suggest that an all-new second-generation Slingshot is on its way, and thanks to some big changes, it could attract a whole new kind of rider.
Image source: Polaris Industries.
As it stands right now, the Polaris Slingshot has a barrier of entry to potential buyers that needs to be addressed: an exclusive manual transmission. If you don't know how to drive a stick shift, you just can't drive a Slingshot until you learn how to row your own gears. With manual transmission drivers in a stark minority (less than 2% of new cars sold today have a manual transmission according to Edmunds.com), it means there probably aren't a lot of drivers of traditional convertibles like the Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro who are interested in the Slingshot.
Source Fool.com
