Polaris Built The Most Dominant UTV In Racing And You Can Buy One For Only $140,000
It seems that nobody can beat Polaris in off-road competition these days, and the engineers behind this monster machine are quite proud of it. Now the company is offering you a chance to drive the same equipment that the pros do, with the $139,999 2025 Polaris RZR Pro R Factory. A direct replica of the machines the Polaris factory race team uses in international off-road racing, the Pro R is the dirt rider you need if you want to take your competitive skills to the next level. There's a lot of engineering that goes into a race winning vehicle like that, likely with a price into the millions for Polaris, and here's your chance to buy that engineering and racing experience at a deep discount.
The concept of a "race replica" is not a foreign one to two-wheeled riders, with a variety of factory racers offered to collectors and track enthusiasts for decades. Polaris, perhaps learning from its Indian Motorcycles division, has spent decades developing the ultimate off-road racing UTV for competition in events like the Mint 400, Baja 1000, and Dakar rally. The RZR, in fact, successfully defended its class victory in the Dakar just last month, and spent 2024 dominating the SCORE Pro UTV Open class taking its second championship in a row.
If you've always wanted to see if you have what it takes to go against the best in the world on an even playing field, this is probably your best opportunity to do just that. Maybe you'll be faster, maybe you'll be slower, but you'll know it wasn't the equipment that let you down. Polaris says the point of building and selling this thing is to "continue to elevate the sport of side-by-side racing, intensify competition among top-tier teams, and set new benchmarks for desert-racing dominance." Only 30 examples will be built in collaboration with Scanlon Clarke Industries, the engineering brains behind the RZR Factory Racing Team.
Read more: 2024 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid Blows Away Every Truck In Its Segment
"The RZR Pro R Factory represents the pinnacle of Polaris' off-road innovation, offering off-road racers and teams a unique opportunity to own a purpose-built machine designed to win," said Reid Wilson, President of Polaris Off Road. "Since its debut, we've received incredible interest and demand for the vehicle from other teams, fueled by its unmatched track record. By making this vehicle available, we're empowering more teams to elevate competition and set a new standard for off-road racing, further reinforcing Polaris' leadership in the industry."
This machine takes the standard RZR Pro R two-seater you can buy at any local Polaris dealer and amps up the off-roady-ness. The standard 2-liter ProStar engine remains, but has had its power output increased ten percent to 255 ponies. While the finished product looks pretty much like the standard Pro R, so much has changed under the skin that it's basically a whole new thing. The magic is in the suspension, with a race-spec MaxLink setup with Fox live valve X2 shocks, and semi-active Dynamix DV suspension control. The race-spec Alcon brakes have driver-adjustable bias to keep you on top of your race. And of course the wheel and tire package is beefed up to handle the rigors of the desert with Method bead locks and 35-inch BF Goodrich KR2s.
The RZR Pro Factory gets a specially reinforced high-strength steel chassis with a full complement of carbon fiber body panels, a lightweight lithium 12v battery, mil-spec minimalist wiring harness, and carbon kevlar Sparco race seats to keep weight at a minimum. The fuel tank has been replaced with a long-range 130 liter racing fuel cell with dry-break filler to keep the risk of fire to a minimum in the desert. Because Polaris knows flat tires happen in competition, there's a streamlined and easy spare tire mounting system with all of the tools close by and easy to access for that emergency swap. There's also a full integrated fire suppression system, just in case the sh*t hits the fan. A MoTeC system runs the whole shooting match with real-time data logging and on-the-fly controls with big mushy buttons so you can still smash them with your race gloves on.
This monster machine carries more than a $100,000 premium over the standard RZR Pro R, but building and preparing one of those to this standard of competition would surely smash through that money pretty quickly. If you want to go racing against the winners, you're better off just buying from the winners.
Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
United States Off-Road Vehicle Market is Poised to Reach Valuation of US$ 20.97 Billion By 2033
The US off-road vehicle market thrives on robust manufacturing, expansive trail networks, and strong consumer demand, driving continuous innovation and customization while deeply integrating into recreational, agricultural, and commercial sectors nationwide. Chicago, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United States off-road vehicle market was valued at US$ 11.9 billion in 2024 and is estimated to reach US$ 20.97 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period 2025–2033. The US off-road vehicle market is one of the most mature and sophisticated in the world, supported by a robust ecosystem of manufacturers, aftermarket suppliers, dealerships, and dedicated trail infrastructure. Industry leaders such as Polaris, Can-Am, Honda, and Yamaha operate extensive US-based assembly and R&D facilities, producing hundreds of thousands of vehicles annually. Data from the Motorcycle Industry Council indicates that over 925,000 new off-road vehicles—including ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes—were registered nationwide in 2023, reflecting a deeply rooted culture that spans recreation, agriculture, municipal work, and industrial use. The United States boasts more than 2,800 public off-highway vehicle (OHV) parks, with major trail networks like Hatfield-McCoy in West Virginia drawing 94,000 annual permit holders and generating significant local economic activity. Download Sample Pages: Dealership networks are equally strong, with over 5,600 powersports dealers listed in the National Automobile Dealers Association directory, ensuring nationwide access to sales, service, and parts. The accessory and upfit market alone moved more than $2.7 billion in retail sales in 2023, driven by consumer demand for customization, utility add-ons, and technology upgrades. States with vast public lands—such as Utah, Arizona, and Michigan—have integrated off-road vehicle use into their tourism, land management, and public safety strategies. With a well-developed digital retail landscape, strong financing options, and a vibrant enthusiast community across social platforms, the US off-road vehicle market is not only established but continues to expand in both consumer and commercial sectors, setting the global standard for off-road mobility. Key Findings in US Off-Road Vehicle Market Market Forecast (2033) US$ 20.97 billion CAGR 6.5% By Product Type Three-Wheeler (46%) By Propulsion Type Diesel (47%) By Application Sport (37%) Top Drivers Rising recreational participation in off-roading, motorsports, and adventure tourism activities Increased agricultural sector adoption for efficiency in farm and ranch operations Growing demand for electric off-road vehicles in environmentally regulated states Top Trends Expansion of smart technology integration including GPS and app-based diagnostics Surge in women and youth participation within off-road vehicle ownership Manufacturer investment in lightweight, high-performance, and electric off-road models Top Challenges Limited public land access due to stricter conservation and zoning regulations High acquisition and maintenance costs for technologically advanced vehicle models Ongoing supply chain disruptions impacting timely production and parts availability Electrification Momentum Accelerates With Battery, Hybrid, And Hydrogen Trail Adoption Polaris opened reservations for the Ranger XP Kinetic on 27 December 2023 and logged 12,140 refundable deposits in the first 72 hours; 8 720 units reached customers by 15 April 2024, according to OEM shipping manifests. Real-world usage is equally striking: the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources replaced forty gasoline crew cab machines with electric Kinetics across six field districts and reported that cumulative trail maintenance time fell by 1,320 labor hours because silent motors allowed earlier departures near wildlife habitats. Battery inflow is scaling to match. Panasonic Energy will deliver 1 gigawatt-hour of prismatic cells to Polaris between July 2024 and June 2025, diverting packs that were originally slated for compact-SUV contracts and underlining how the US off-road vehicle market now competes directly with mainstream EV segments for raw lithium. Hybrid powertrains are filling niches where long daily range is mandatory. Yamaha's 2024 Wolverine RMAX Hybrid integrates a 48-volt flywheel motor adding 60 lb-ft under 20 mph and allowing the gasoline engine to idle at 1,200 rpm during technical crawling. Field guides at Glacier National Park clocked 428 trail miles before refueling—nearly double the gasoline-only predecessor. Hydrogen experimentation is less public, yet Colorado startup TerrainIQ completed 620 Moab trail miles on two 700-bar fills using a range-extending fuel-cell trailer. Infrastructure is evolving accordingly: ChargePoint, Electrify America, and the Bureau of Land Management have placed 118 fast chargers at public trailheads, up from 29 in 2022, while seven state-level hydrogen depots now accept off-road rigs. With torque curves, acoustics, and refuel times all moving toward parity or superiority versus traditional engines, electrified entries are no longer novelty acts but front-row contenders in the US off-road vehicle market. Side-By-Side Dominance Transforms Recreation, Agriculture, Land Management Practices Nationwide Motorcycle Industry Council registration tallies show side-by-sides at 505,890 units in 2023, outpacing single-seat ATVs by 85,190. Utility ranchers once content with rear-rack four-wheelers increasingly choose crew cabs: Deere's Gator XUV835M, for instance, can move four workers, 1,000 pounds of seed, and run two hydraulic implements simultaneously from dual 12-volt ports. That flexibility changed calving protocols for 3,600 Kansas ranches tracked by the state Farm Bureau, which logged 41,000 fewer tractor starts last spring. These operating-hour savings ripple through the US off-road vehicle market, raising lifetime-value calculations well beyond sticker price. Recreation echoes the shift. Utah's Sand Hollow State Park scanned 68,340 multi-passenger side-by-sides at its gate in the 2023 season, while ATV counts stalled at 44,180. Wider frames—60 inches in 2018, 74 inches on some 2024 desert models—originally alarmed land managers, yet rescue data tell another story: Washington County Search and Rescue recorded 181 extractions in 2023, forty-eight fewer than 2022, crediting built-in roll cages and tablet-based navigation that reroutes drivers around flash-flood depressions. The BRP Maverick R's seven-inch touchscreen syncs to Gaia GPS and pushes real-time hazard alerts via Starlink satellites. Such connectivity, combined with passenger capacity and cargo modularity, cements side-by-sides as the functional nucleus of the US off-road vehicle market, relegating single-seat machines to specialist or budget roles. Aftermarket Accessories, Upfitting, And Services Generate Sustained Revenue Streams Today An entry-level 570-cc utility side-by-side invoices at roughly US$ 12,500, yet Tucker Powersports data show owners spend an additional US$ 4,300 on accessories within six months. Roof-mounted audio panels moved 9,800 units on Amazon's Off-Road Garage storefront last year, triple 2021 volume, while SuperATV shipped 112,400 aluminum radius rods—components that barely registered on the ledger five years earlier. Arctic Cat now releases 'pre-wired' Ranch Editions with twelve blank switches and a CAN bus backbone, trimming dealer install time by three labor hours and pushing attachment rates up to six bolt-on items per sale. Margins on these items average roughly one-third of retail, compared with single-digit margins on whole units, making accessories the stable profit engine of the US off-road vehicle market. Service packages are evolving in parallel. Polaris Pro Shield extended warranty enrollments rose to 74,210 contracts in 2023, adding belt coverage, trailering damage protection, and remote diagnostic access. Meanwhile, 3D-printing bureaus in Phoenix and Grand Rapids deliver custom switch pods within forty-eight hours, satisfying micro-batch orders for podcast logos or ranch brands. Finance arms notice the uptick: FreedomRoad Financial approved US$268 million in accessory roll-ins last calendar year, up from 144 million in 2021. Because bolt-ons stretch emotional ownership and dealer cash flow simultaneously, manufacturers are embedding accessory prompts right into digital configurators, turning each click into a cross-sell moment that locks customers deeper into the US off-road vehicle market ecosystem long after the initial handshake. Geographic Use-Cases Differ From Deserts To Snowfields And Crop Rows Terrain still dictates hardware choices. Bureau of Land Management logs count 6 720,000 rider-days on open desert routes across Nevada, Arizona, and southern California in 2023; turbocharged sand cars with 32-inch paddle tires made up roughly half the VINs scanned at entrance kiosks. By contrast, Michigan's Upper Peninsula registered 3,070,000 winter trail miles by tracked side-by-sides fitted with Camso T4S conversions, a configuration that extends the riding calendar by four months. This split forces dealership inventory to stay hyper-local: Flagstaff outlets order 65 percent long-travel turbo models—expressed here only as a qualitative majority—while Marquette stores request cab-sealed units with heater kits and wiper motors. Granular stock planning is therefore a non-negotiable competency inside the US off-road vehicle market. Agriculture presents another layer of divergence. Kansas State University extension offices counted 47,580 ranch operations relying on utility side-by-sides for irrigation checks and calving in 2023, up from 39,080 two years before. Machines must carry 40-inch mineral tubs and sometimes mount 15-gallon spot sprayers, pushing OEMs to widen cargo beds and reinforce tailgate latches. Appalachian logging crews go diesel: West Virginia Forestry Association tallies show Kubota RTVs equipped with PTO-driven sawmills extracted 211,000 board feet of salvage timber after the February 2023 ice storms. Climate, soil type, and land-use law create these micro-segments, meaning a one-spec-fits-all approach cannot survive inside the US off-road vehicle market where dealer success hinges on county-level option coding. Digital Discovery, Social Evidence, And Direct Commerce Shape Buying Journeys Seven out of ten off-road shoppers now begin their journey on YouTube or TikTok, according to a January 2024 Harris Poll of 4,200 powersports intenders. Polaris' 'Break the Trail' series accumulated 54 million views by March 2024, and associated affiliate links moved 22,640 roof-top LED kits within the next quarter. Authenticity matters: an unfiltered clutch-housing teardown posted by the Dirt Trax channel drew 1,340 dealer quote requests within forty-eight hours, underscoring that narrative transparency converts eyeballs into invoices across the US off-road vehicle market. Direct-to-consumer portals reinforce the loop. BRP's Click-and-Ride pilot, live in twenty-seven states, lets buyers lock a VIN online, arrange Synchrony Bank financing, and schedule either driveway delivery or showroom pickup. Average decision time sits at eleven days, roughly half the traditional figure. Community forums like r/UTV and Side-By-Side Nation flag reliability issues in real time; a firmware glitch on the 2024 Maverick R's clutch sensor surfaced on Saturday and received an over-the-air patch by Wednesday, turning potential PR fallout into a trust-building exercise. Search engines reward such velocity: long-form technical explainers average time-on-page of five minutes, a key engagement indicator under Google's EEAT rubric. As a result, credible content and responsive service have become non-negotiable cornerstones for every stakeholder competing inside the US off-road vehicle market. Commercial, Government, And Industrial Fleets Integrate Off-Road Platforms Rapidly Nationwide Public-sector fleets represent the fastest-rising non-recreational slice of the US off-road vehicle market. The U.S. Forest Service added 1 140 side-by-sides to its 2023 roster, specifying fire-retardant seats, thermal cameras for ember detection, and drop-in water tanks that deliver 70 gallons to remote flare-ups unreachable by truck. On Permian Basin pipeline builds, Bechtel logged 2,920 000 engine-runtime hours on Polaris Pro XD diesels, citing rollover-tested cages and 1,800-pound payload ratings as critical to Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance. Private industry runs similar math. Duke Energy's agrivoltaic pilot in North Carolina employs ten electric Kubota RTV-e units outfitted with autonomous mowing decks. Each vehicle trims twenty-three acres daily under solar panels that standard tractors cannot enter, saving 41 minutes per acre and eliminating diesel fumes that degrade panel coatings. Municipal police departments follow suit: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Off-Road Enforcement Unit replaced aging Jeeps with thirty-two Can-Am Defender Max LTs and noted a drop of thirty-five illegal-dumping incidents thanks to improved trail access. Because procurement officers rely on hard data, OEMs publish brake-pad longevity tables, battery cycle curves, and vibration exposure logs. These quantified uptime and safety advantages ensure fleet orders stay a durable growth engine inside the US off-road vehicle market, buffering OEMs against cyclical retail swings. Need Custom Data? Let Us Know: Competitive Landscape Sees Startups, Mergers, And New Powertrains Collide Energetically Legacy giants still lead market share, yet nimble startups are punching above their weight. Volcon, headquartered in Round Rock, Texas, shipped 4,720 Stag electric sport UTVs during its first production year and signed a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contract for forty silent patrol prototypes. TerrainIQ's hydrogen range-extended mule logged 620 Moab miles on two 700-bar fills, drawing instant scrutiny from both Yamaha and Kawasaki skunk-works teams. These breakthroughs underscore how the US off-road vehicle market rewards propulsion diversity that solves niche pain points. Mergers amplify the churn. Fox Factory paid US$ 130 million for Shock Therapy Suspension in December 2023, integrating race-valving directly into OEM build sheets within one quarter. Yamaha inked a solid-state battery joint venture with Nissan on 19 January 2024, naming off-road deployment as first commercial use. Chinese entrant CFMOTO opened a Rogers, Arkansas, assembly plant capable of 50 000 units annually, shaving overseas shipping lead time from nine weeks to eleven days and forcing domestic rivals to accelerate their own release cadence. Raymond James now tracks twenty-one confirmed model launches slated for the 2025 lineup year, eight more than the prior cycle. Such relentless product turnover, coupled with fresh capital and cross-industry alliances, makes the US off-road vehicle market an arena where speed, specialization, and vertical integration will determine the next decade's winners. US Off-road Vehicle Market Major Players: American Landmaster Arctic Cat Inc. Can-Am (BRP) CFMOTO Honda Motor Co., Ltd. John Deere Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Kubota Corporation Kymco Mahindra & Mahindra Limited Massimo Motor Polaris Inc. Suzuki Motor Corporation Textron Inc. Yamaha Motor Corporation Other Prominent Players Key Segmentation: By Product Type All-Terrain Vehicle Utility Terrain Vehicle Snowmobile Three-Wheeler By Propulsion Type Gasoline Diesel Electric By Application Utility Sports Recreation Military Request Additional Details Before Purchase: About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global market research and advisory firm providing data-driven insights across industries such as technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and more. We publish multiple reports daily, equipping businesses with the intelligence they need to navigate market trends, emerging opportunities, competitive landscapes, and technological advancements. With a team of experienced business analysts, economists, and industry experts, we deliver accurate, in-depth, and actionable research tailored to meet the strategic needs of our clients. At Astute Analytica, our clients come first, and we are committed to delivering cost-effective, high-value research solutions that drive success in an evolving marketplace. Contact Us:Astute AnalyticaPhone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World)For Sales Enquiries: sales@ Follow us on: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube CONTACT: Contact Us: Astute Analytica Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4483891 (Rest of the World) For Sales Enquiries: sales@ Website: in to access your portfolio
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
United Airlines flight attendants are set for pay rises of up to 45%
United Airlines flight attendants are set for big pay increases under the terms of a tentative agreement. The United branch of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA reached a tentative deal with the airline on May 23. The first details of the deal were published on Tuesday. It states that cabin crew members would receive pay increases up to 45.6% over the contract's five-year timeframe. The immediate raise would be as much as 27.8%, meaning a rise in hourly pay for those in their first year from $28.88 to $36.92. By the end of the contract, the starting pay would be $42.06 an hour. The proposed increases for longer-serving flight attendants would be between 26% to almost 28%. It means pay for the longest-serving staff would jump from $67.11 an hour to $84.78. By the end of the contract, the hourly rate would be $96.58. Flight attendants are typically only paid for the time of the flight, but the tentative agreement also includes half-pay during boarding. Delta Air Lines was the first in the US to introduce this back in 2022. There is also a one-off payment for retroactive pay. The union said it was an "industry-leading" formula worth $595 million, which compensates for the lack of a cost-of-living raise for United flight attendants since 2020. Contract negotiations have dragged on while competitors have ratified their own agreements. On May 13, about a dozen flight attendants gatecrashed a press event unveiling United's new Polaris business class to highlight the lack of a deal. American Airlines flight attendants ratified a deal last September that gave them an immediate pay increase of up to 20.5%. Five months earlier, Southwest Airlines flight attendants won a 22.3% pay increase. Delta flight attendants, who aren't unionized, have received annual pay increases. The latest put the starting wage at $36.92 — the same as United's tentative contract. The United AFA is set to hold a road show, both virtually and at airports nationwide, before voting opens on July 7. Voting closes on July 29. If the contract is approved by union members, it will take effect the following day.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
These Are The Weirdest Cars You've Seen Used By Local Government
Last week we asked you to share the weirdest car you've seen used by your local government, and the answers were sufficiently strange. Some cars that your local governments use aren't even sold in this country, but that doesn't stop them from being mighty useful. Other cars that you've seen used by local governments work in roles that demand respect, but the vehicles chosen are potentially the least intimidating vehicles possible. My answer to the question is still the first-generation Honda Civic Hybrid that I saw recently being used by the City of Los Angeles as the street sweeper chase vehicle. It was a pre-facelift model which means it had to be a 2003 model year car that is still serving is civic duty over 20 years later, and while I appreciate that the government isn't spending needlessly on expensive brand-new cars, I am still surprised that such an old vehicle is still in service. If you've got an interesting car you've seen used by your local government, feel free to share in the comments. These are the weirdest cars you've seen used by your local government. Read more: These Are The Dumbest Looking Cars Of All Time, According To You 20 plus years ago, I saw a CHP Volvo, North of Escondido on the I-15, at the time I worked with CHP closely and never saw another one before, or after. Submitted by: towman I always enjoy seeing cops on horses. It's not super rare, but horses are cool and there is something funny about knowing the horse might actually be a top-notch chaser in dense, urban environments. Submitted by: engineerthefuture Pre-pandemic, my town used to have a small fleet (maybe 3 or 4) of Polaris side-by-sides that were used for parking enforcement and other jobs in the downtown area where a Charger or Explorer cruiser would be overkill. I haven't seen them used recently, so they may have been retired. Submitted by: Earthbound Misfit I Growing up, my local Washington State Patrol office was pretty small, so instead of buying fleet vehicles, they'd just use seized, auction cars ..80's Camaros, Mustangs, Caravans .. my neighbors "patrol car" was an unmarked '90 Cavalier .. he said they had a good dozen of oddball unmarked cars (with hidden lights) at the station to choose from... even a Corvette. Submitted by: JCB Any small town that thinks it needs an armored tank to keep the peace 🙄 Submitted by: Jimboy Junio I don't know how weird it is considered given the context, but i have seen a Smart ForTwo used as a police car during exceptionally congested rush hour where i am from. Submitted by: epep- Up until a few years ago my County's crime scene unit used a Ford Aerostar... I remember watching the show CSI as a kid thinking that could be a cool job then I started seeing the local CSI group rolling around in an Aerostar. Hard pass. The most recent string of County pool vehicles has been Dodge Nitros, Jeep Cherokees (with the V6's and leather which seems awfully fancy for municipal pool vehicles) and now Bronco Sports. Submitted by: cintocrunch1 My town's parks and recreation department has a Daihatsu Hijet mini truck as a maintenance vehicle. Submitted by: Giantsgiants Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
