So, Arctic Cat has decided to re-name its engines and snowmobile series. The newest 2-stroke (600) is now called C-TEC (that sounds strangely familiar) and other engine series are positioned in a new cascading numerical sequence.
Pay attention. The 5000 is the current Suzuki 1100, non-turbocharged, even firing parallel twin. The 6000 series is the all-new DSI C-TEC 600cc 2-stroke twin. The 7000 is the Yamaha 1049cc 4-stroke triple. The 8000 is the current 800cc 2-stroke twin (unchanged for 2014) and the 9000 series is the 1100 turbocharged and intercooled Suzuki even firing parallel twin.
There’s more. Cat has also changed chassis names. Although the names ProCross and ProClimb are still used, Cat has walked away from the confusing “F” thing.
Arctic Cat has revived the legendary ZR and El Tigre handles for trail sleds but will stay with XF for crossovers.
The big news is the company will split the segment into 137 (floating front arm, torsion spring) skids called Pro Cross XF and 141 (torsionless) skids called Pro Climb XF.
Of course, there’s still the M-Series Pro Climb models and these sleds, under the hand of Troy Halverson and his team, have undergone radical modifications and weight reduction for the 2014 model year.
At any rate, the new nomenclature represents the most significant re-invention of the Arctic Cat product profile in at least a decade.
