I’m pretty sure something important just happened in the sno-mo-biz and a bunch of people – media included – completely missed it! What happened you ask? The race to produce the “Spark” snowmobile just heated up – and did it in a pretty big way.
WHAT IS A SPARK?
Spark is the model designation for Sea-Doo’s most popular PWC ever. In fact the largest selling product BRP manufactures is the Spark PWC. It sells huge because when it came to the market three seasons ago, BRP offered it at the mind-boggling MSRP of $4,995.00 USD.
BRP CEO Jose Boisjolis’ genius was to take the popularity of riding and owning a PWC back to the level it crested at in the late 1990s. His call was to bring a fully capable, fun and unapologetically, real PWC to the market and thereby re-energize the PWC biz. By the way, it worked.
IS THERE A SPARK SNOWMOBILE?
Yes, we believe there are three to choose from and the Spark paradigm is rapidly becoming a legitimate segment. Admittedly, we are never going to see a Spark snowmobile with an MSRP of $4,995.00 US. Why? Because snowmobiles are far more costly to manufacture than PWCs.
Snowmobiles have wheels, brakes, transmissions, shocks, suspension systems, lighting systems and tracks. PWCs are essentially two injection-molded pieces of plastic powered by a 4-stroke engine connected to a sump pump.
WHAT’S THE RIGHT PRICE?
I’m not 100-percent sure what the right price is but I am positive what the right sled is. The Spark goal line will be reached when a value sled is fully capable of running with full-on snowmobiles in the 600 segment.
Before Ski-Doo introduced the Sport 600 a few weeks back, there was Polaris’ first-in (two seasons ago) Indy EVO 550 fan and earlier this winter Arctic Cat landed the ZR BLAST 400 EFI. Most recently Yamaha unveiled its version of the BLAST, coined the SX Venom.
Here’s what the MSRPs look like for the Sport and the BLAST in the US and Canada:
BLAST (65-hp 2-Stroke Single)
USA – $7,695
CDN – $10,095
MXZ SPORT (85 HP 600CC 2-Stroke Twin)
USA – $8,649
CDN – $9,999
REALITY CHECK
I won’t comment on these numbers other than to say, go and check out the new Ski-Doo Sport MX-Z. At $8,649.00 USD and $9,999.00 CDN there is a ton of value – and just as importantly – a ton of performance offered for this kind of jing.
I can tell you from firsthand experience the new Sport MX-Z with an EFI 600 Rotax twin under its hood producing 85-hp delivers a genuinely legitimate snowmobile experience. Don’t think about 4-stroke power – think about lightweight 2-stroke power. Think about advanced G4 chassis, bodywork and ergonomics. Think about a full size snowmobile a guy can ride and not be left in the snow dust by his buds. Think about a brand new, warrantied 600cc snowmobile for the price highlighted above.
DID YOU FEEL THE EARTH MOVE?
It’s entirely possible the market leader, using its enormous economies of scale, has actually delivered the Spark snowmobile. When Spring Break orders are counted, the Sport 600 MX-Z may be an eye opener.
