Put on your thinking cap for a minute. Based on the new technology in the Polaris AXYS, how would you respond to it if you were Ski-Doo?
First, realize that Ski-Doo owns about 40-percent of the market anyway and it’s XS models are certainly good enough the company could get away with doing nothing for a year or two. However, that strategy doesn’t fit BRP’s DNA profile and its history of always being a step or three ahead of the competition.
We think Doo is on it and already working on a strategy to leave its competitors and particularly, the Polaris AXYS, in its dust. Here’s what we think may be happening:
1. MORE POWER
Polaris has set the bar higher with a new 800 Cleanfire that actually benchmarked Ski-Doo’s E-TEC for performance. The new Liberty engine is EPA clean, gets better gas and oil mileage than in the past and appears to deliver on its “best performance” claims.
Look for Ski-Doo’s 600 and 800 E-TECs to use a modified version of Direct Injection with more horsepower – soon.
2. WEIGHT
Ski-Doo will not rest until it regains its reputation for building the lightest sleds. This may require a big-time chassis revamp using castings and even a bonding process instead of welds and rivets kinda like Polaris uses on the AXYS.
3. STRENGTH
The XP and XS platform needs more strength in its front bulkhead and “nun”. Look for a redesign utilizing the weight-saving concepts mentioned above to increase the crush resistance of a new Ski-Doo chassis.
4. INSTRUMENTATION
It’s almost impossible to imagine anyone could have raised the ante on Ski-Doo’s long-term stranglehold on electronics. Look for Ski-Doo’s newest gauge package to include Bluetooth, colored displays and more data – including GPS.
5. 4-STROKE INNOVATION
One way to keep ahead of the curve is to cater even more to the 4-stroke market, which is an area Polaris seems to be uninvolved in. We’d love to see “the lightest high performance 4-stroke ever” and a continuation of new and innovative 4-stroke sleds based on the current 4-TEC and ACE engines.
Just a few things to think about; let us know what your ideas are. We’d love to hear them.
