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Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen gave his wife a Polaris Slingshot for Mother’s Day

Bruce Brown
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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen surprised his wife Gianni with a Polaris Slingshot SLR 3-wheeled roadster for Mother’s Day. After the couple welcomed their second son last year Jansen wanted to give her a gift they both could enjoy.

Jansen posted the news on Twitter with photos.

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Happy #MothersDay to my beautiful wife @GianniKJansen ! Had to get her a ???? we can have a lot of fun with. We took this @Slingshot for a spin and it was a blast. pic.twitter.com/UuFhxbDuLf

— Kenley Jansen (@kenleyjansen74) May 12, 2019

In the video below that Jansen posted on Instagram, you can see Gianni’s surprise standing in a balcony and followed by her delight as she walked down the stairs for a closer look.

Digital Trends confirmed with a Polaris representative today that the 2018 Slingshot SLR Jansen purchased is a stock model, complete with 2-tone premium paint, graphics, forged wheels, sport bucket seats, and a turn-by-turn navigation system. Other than available colors, the 2019 SLR model is exactly the same as the 2018 Slingshot Jansen bought for Mother’s Day.

The Slingshot SLR, starting price $30,000, is one of four model trims for 2019, with starting prices ranging from $21,000 to $ 31,000. All 2019 Slingshots use the same engine, a GM Ecotec 2.4L DOHC that produces 173 horsepower and 166 foot-pounds of torque. When you couple that power with the Slingshot’s low 1,749-pound weight, its low to the ground seating with 5.0-inch ground clearance, and an open cockpit, the exhilarating driving experience is unlike any other. The transmission is a 5-speed synchromesh manual with reverse.

After several experiences, the closest comparison I can make to driving a Slingshot is to a racing go-kart, but you can’t drive go-karts on streets and highways, nor would you want to. The Slingshot, however, is comfortable and easy to drive on public roads. It’s legal too, although states vary in whether they classify the Slingshot as a motorcycle or an autocycle.

To help control the Slingshot’s power and stay on the road, all models have standard anti-lock braking systems (ABS), traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), and speed-sensitive power steering. The headlights use projector lamps and the other lights are LEDs. Wheel types and sizes vary depending on the model. The base Slingshot S rides on cast aluminum wheels, 17-inch diameter, 7-inch wide in front and 18-inch diameter, 9.5-inch wide in back.

The Instagram post above includes a short video of Gianni and Kenley Jansen riding in their new Slingshot. They are all smiles when they return and Jansen wrote, “We took this Polaris Slingshot for a spin and it was a blast.”

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