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The Star Car: When Polaris Tried Their Hand at Toy Automobiles

By Will Burgess

Here’s a #TBT to back when Polaris made… a car?

Polaris was still making a name in the world as a snowmobile company in the late 60s, when they decided to bring out this unique little racer, dubbed “The Star Car”.

For some sledheads, there really is only one season: Winter.
So the Star Car became the answer, “For the Snowmobiler Who Wants to Go All Summer”.

Here are some photos of this incredible little toy from a private collector in Northern Michigan | credit: Will Burgess

Resembling a Formula 1 race car, the 400cc engine in this little roadster produced an eye-watering 80 mph top speed!

These vehicles are incredibly rare with far less than 100 known to exist today, as most were recalled to Polaris HQ and destroyed. Only one model year was ever produced in 1969.

Notably, a Star Car from a private collection is going up for auction later this fall with Mecum.

Maybe it’s best that Polaris has stuck to making just about anything but a car, but it is interesting to imagine a future that might have been if the mini Formula 1 racer became the next big thing in powersports.

Will Burgess is a journalist with Adrenaline Powersports Mag