Polaris this week launched an off-road vehicle so big and beefy it's in a class by itself.
The Polaris Ranger XD 1500 — designed for ranchers, farmers, big-game hunters and large landowners — will have a transmission, frame and engine that are all new for the company's off-road vehicles.
It joins a lineup or recent product introductions that also includes the Ranger XP Kinetic, Polaris' first all-electric option, and the Polaris Xpedition, which allows users to go farther into the back country.
"I've been with Polaris for a little over 10 years. I have not seen us launch anything this big and game-changing in the industry," said Chris Judson, the Polaris vice president who runs the off-road utility business.
The product development sprint comes after the company tightened its focus on power sports, said Mike Speetzen, who oversaw the sale of Polaris' auto parts retail business and the spinoff of another vehicle unit since becoming chief executive two years ago.
"Getting the strategy refocused, getting rid of a billion dollars' worth of revenue that had nothing to do with power sports, it really allowed us not just to put the money into those areas, but also our focus and attention," Speetzen said.
At its summer off-road dealer meeting on Sunday, Polaris announced a number of upgrades and enhancements to its portfolio. However, the Ranger XD 1500 was by far the biggest introduction of the night.
Northcoast Research analyst John Healy was at the dealer meeting.
"In speaking with dealers at the event, there was a clear level of excitement for the new offering," Healy wrote in an investor note. "From our view, we see it as both logical and rational for Polaris to lean into both the premium and the utility segment, as both of these businesses have proven to be strong demand drivers over the past several years."
The Polaris Ranger side-by-side is the workhorse for the utility segment of Polaris' portfolio. It's designed for work rather than recreational or trail riding.
Polaris believes there is a significant portion of utility segment customers that routinely has bigger jobs and needs to get even more done than with the tools currently available.
The upgrades are meant to reduce downtime because of vehicle maintenance. The XD 1500 features a new three-cylinder engine, a first for a Polaris off-road utility vehicle. The gas engine will deliver 110-horsepower and more torque, allowing for a 3,500-pound towing capacity or carrying 1,500 pounds in rear cargo area.
A new SteelDrive transmission also allows for more strength and durability over the rubber belt systems in typical off-road vehicles.
"We like to call this our three-quarter ton Ranger," Judson said in an interview.
And while it delivers more power, it also has a larger cab and improved HVAC system for long work days.
Polaris conducts thousands of hours of consumer research each year, Judson said, and the Ranger XD 1500 was the end result of a nearly five-year development cycle. Large land owners continually stressed the need for time management and consistency.
"This is not a replacement but a better option," Judson said.
The Ranger XD 1500 will retail at $29,999 to $49,499.
