The Miami Police Department’s latest car isn’t a car at all.
It’s a three-wheel Polaris Slingshot that was donated by the company to be used as a head-turning vehicle for community outreach.
“This is going to be an icebreaker for us. Kids are going to want to walk up to this car, see it, sit in it, talk to the policemen, the policemen get to talk to the kids. I mean, it’s going to be perfect, man, I’m super excited about it,” Miami Police Chief Emilio Gonzalez said at the unveiling Thursday.
Considered an ‘autocycle’ under motor vehicle laws, the Slingshot was modified with a black and white paint job, lights and sirens by Miami custom car shop The Auto Firm, which works with many of the city’s celebrities.
Back in 2016, it customized a Slingshot for New York Met Yoenis Cespedes, who showed up at spring training in it and garnered so much media attention that sales of the $20,000 vehicle spiked.
The Miami Police’s is worth more than that, it’s a top of the line Grand Touring model that starts at $29,450.
And while there are no plans to use it as a pursuit vehicle, it wouldn’t be a bad one. Its lightweight chassis and 174 hp four-cylinder engine is good for a 0-60 mph time of about 5.5 seconds and 130 mph top speed.