sciencetech-blog

comments

American motor company Polaris Industries has teased the launch of a new three-wheeled vehicle to the public.

Dubbed the Polaris Slingshot, it looks to be a blend of a motorcycle and car and is not too dissimilar to the Batmobile from Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy.

The Slingshot will be revealed in full on 27 July, but experts have already pored over details to find out as much as possible about the hotly anticipated vehicle.

Scroll down for video

Minnesota-based Polaris Industries have teased their new vehicle ahead of a 27 July reveal. The three-wheeled Slingshot (patent drawing shown) looks to be a blend of motorcycle and car - it has no doors, an open top and a windshield that looks like a bike visor

Two teaser video have been released so far, with a third scheduled for 14 July.

In them, some of the finer details of the vehicle can be spotted.

The first and most obvious observation is that the vehicle sports three wheels, rather than two for a motorcycle of four for a car.

The reason for this could be so that the vehicle can be classified as a motorcycle, superseding some stringent safety checks needed for cars.

The Slingshot is also devoid of doors, while it sports a windshield similar to the plastic on motorcycle helmet visors.

It's also incredibly low to the ground, with one scene from the videos showing just a tiny gap between the driver's seat and the road.

'This thing is going to have the seat of your pants getting warm from the asphalt passing under you at a high rate of speed,' said NickJ on SlingshotForums.

High octane on three wheels. Teaser for the Polaris Slingshot

In this still from one of the teaser videos the interior of the car can be seen. The two seats, which admittedly don't look all that comfortable, are also very close to the ground so riders 'surf' the road. The slingshot It can apparently reach speeds of 130 miles (210 kilometres) per hour

Two teaser video have been released so far, with a third scheduled for 14 July, while a series of patent drawings have also been submitted to the U.S. patent office (shown). In them some of the finer details of the vehicle can be spotted; here can be seen the 'open' design of its back wheel

Other rumours suggest Polaris will be gearing up to sell the Slingshot beginning in 2016, although exact dates are not known.

A rumoured price tag is less than £17,500 ($30,000) but, again, that is just speculation for now.

What is more concrete is what will be powering the vehicle; most think it will sport a 2.4-litre Ecotec four-cylinder General Motors engine.

Estimates for the horsepower range from 200 to 250 brakehorsepower, while its top speed has been estimated at 130 miles (210 kilometres) per hour.

Is this the car in the flesh? This image was snapped by a user on SlingshotForums and apparently shows the car being made by Polaris in a car park. The company has released two teaser videos, while the full reveal is on 27 July. Rumours suggest it will launch in 2016 and will cost under £17,500 ($30,000)

The Slingshot is also devoid of doors, while it sports a windshield not too dissimilar to the plastic on motorcycle helmet visors. It's also incredibly low to the ground, with one scene from the videos showing just a tiny gap between the driver's seat and the road

Other features, some that could probably be considered standard these days, are ABS brakes, power steering, traction control and stability control reports Digital Trends.

But while the tyres look road-worthy the seats don't look incredibly comfortable, suggesting this might be more of a 'boy's toy' car than one driven for comfort.

In the video the driver is also seen to be wearing gloves, further hinting that Polaris will classify the Slingshot as a motorcycle over a car.

For all the final details, though, motorheads will have to keep their eyes and ears peeled when Polaris unveil the vehicle on 27 July.

Other features, some that could probably be considered standard these days, are ABS brakes, power steering, traction control and stability control reports Digital Trends. But while the tyres look road-worthy the seats don't look incredibly comfortable

Look familiar? You'd be forgiven for the three wheels of the Polaris Slingshot reminding you of a Reliant Robin (left), while the aesthetic look of the vehicle also seems to bear a striking resemblance to the Batmobile from the Batman Dark Knight trilogy of movies, pictured right in London's Leicester Square