Can Arctic Cat Build Enough?

First of all, Arctic Cat is building 2026 snowmobile models and has already completed an early-order program. The goal is to fulfill all the early orders, then the stocking orders, and finally build enough units to satisfy a substantial number of returning and new dealers.

Will Arctic Cat be able to produce this many sleds and get them into showrooms this fall? The answer is yes…with a caveat. This plan’s success will be determined by Arctic Cat’s suppliers and vendors. Vendors are very happy that Cat is back, but because of supply chain logistics, the goal for 2026 might be a bit lofty.

For instance, traditionally snowmobile OEMs nail down the number of engines needed for the next model year to give engine suppliers almost a year to produce the ordered engines. This year the timeline is tight. However, the domestic engines Arctic Cat builds may not be as much of a challenge.

Here’s what we believe is happening and will continue over the next year. Obviously Arctic Cat will be building Arctic Cat snowmobile still powered by Yamaha engines and Cat’s proprietary domestic engines. We think it’s safe to say that alongside its 2-stroke-powered models, Arctic Cat will continue to offer Thundercats powered by Yamaha’s 998 Genesis turbocharged triple. Also look for at least one model – but maybe more – powered by Yamaha’s 1049cc naturally aspirated 4-stroke triple. To be clear – Cat is not building sleds for Yamaha.

Strong Leadership

One thing that cannot be underestimated is the skill, talent and raw determination of Brad Darling – now CEO and President of both Arctic Cat and Argo. By the sheer power of will and intensely focused direction, Darling has done what many said was impossible and if Darling says there will be enough 2026 sleds to cover orders, we would be hard pressed to question his word.

There are others at the Thief River Falls production facility who are not only incredibly talented but are just as deeply dedicated to seeing Arctic Cat’s successful return. These players bleed green.

Rationalizing Products and Brands

In offroad, look for Argo to do what it has been doing for 50 years – continuing to be the world leader in amphibious Xtreme Terrain Vehicles (XTVs), which include Argo’s 6- and 8-wheel XTVs and the amazing Sasquatch amphibious vehicle. A growing line-up of Arctic Cat ATVs and side-x-side vehicles will be offered immediately.

A looming question revolves around the relationship with Bass Pro Shops and what that will look like moving forward. Bass Pro Shops carries Tracker offroad vehicles in many of its consumer stores across North America and Tracker ATVs and side-x-sides are manufactured by Arctic Cat.

The actual number of Tracker units sold by Bass Pro Shops is not public knowledge at this time. Suffice it to say Arctic Cat will be or may already be in deep discussions with Bass Pro Shops.

Furthermore, with an increasing number of Argo dealers also becoming Arctic Cat dealers and an increasing number of Arctic Cat dealers also becoming Argo dealers, we think it is unlikely there will continue to be Argo-branded ATVs and side-x-sides in the future as it would needlessly create brand confusion.

Cat Is Back

As you can imagine, things are moving fast at Arctic Cat these days and credit goes to the top-level leadership and acquisition team led by Brad Darling that has revived one of the powersports industry’s most iconic brands. We look forward to reporting on new products, a growing dealer network, Arctic Cat’s future racing plans, and more.

Stay tuned!

Snowmobiling relies on a self-funded, interconnected network of trails crisscrossing the North American snowbelt, which costs millions and millions of dollars to open and maintain every winter and provide billions of dollars of economic impact in thousands of places across North America. The contributions made to the industry branded snowmobile dealers and their OEMs cannot be understated. Simply put – we need Arctic Cat and its dealer network to be fully involved.

The good news is this; Arctic Cat was purchased by an investment group led by CEO and President of ODG Argo, Brad Darling. The writing was on the wall last fall when Textron, owner of Arctic Cat up until this past Tuesday, announced a pause in production of Arctic Cat products. There’s no way that was going to work. This time in history was absolutely pivotal for Arctic Cat. Thankfully, the team of visionaries Brad Darling put together had both the savvy and the finances to make this deal happen and bring the iconic Arctic Cat brand back to life.

I want to make something crystal clear here. Brad Darling is a man of integrity whose word is his bond. He bleeds green and has done so since his early teenage years. I can tell you with 100% boiler plate assurance Darling’s leadership of this week’s acquisition was driven by his passion for Arctic Cat.

Unfortunately, a somewhat unexplainable deal made about four years ago saw Textron cancel an enormous number of lifelong, exceptional Arctic Cat snowmobile, ATV and side-x-side dealers. We expect some of them to come back on board and that Arctic Cat will mobilize its sales force and likely leverage Argo’s sales team to get its dealer network shored up and ready for the next sales season.

Consider what this means for a jillion Arctic Cat owners who have tens of thousands invested in their Arctic Cats. Owners need not fear they will be able to get parts and service for their beloved sleds. Snowmobile clubs will welcome back Arctic Cat dealers with open arms as these volunteers depend on dealers to help with fundraisers and equipment to support local trail systems.

No doubt a legion of greenies wants to hear what the future of the CATALYST platform will look like in the short and long term. We got an overview of the 2026 snowmobile model line-up this week complete with some innovative updates to current models alongside a few new models that will get Cat enthusiasts fired up and excited for the snow to start flying.

We also expect to see the development of a domestic-built 650-class 2-stroke and an updated rear suspension alongside continued refinements to the CATALYST platform using the new 858 2-stroke.

We also anticipate hearing from Roger Skime, the man behind Arctic Cat snowmobiles going back to the late 50’s and 60’s and who was, for years, its Vice President of Engineering. Roger is a genuine icon and an unwavering proponent of Arctic Cat. He’s a straight shooter and one of the most important people in the snowmobile business because he’s done it all, seen it all and knows the sport of snowmobiling and specifically Arctic Cat snowmobiles better than anyone I know.

Over the next days and weeks, we anticipate much more information becoming available and we’ll continue to get you the straight goods on everything going forward. Stay tuned!

Newly appointed CEO and President of Arctic Cat, Brad Darling is eager to start moving the brand forward, stating, “The pursuit of the checkered flag is in Arctic Cat’s DNA. It’s what we were built on. Like anyone who has ever grabbed the throttle – it’s a relentless drive that pushes us forward and sparks our passion. Today is the start of a new chapter, one where Arctic Cat returns to the race, but with a powerful understanding: this race is never-ending, and our intent is to lead.”

Since taking ownership of Arctic Cat in 2017, Textron Specialized Vehicles invested a great deal of time and resources to keep the brand and its technology at the forefront. This dedication was most recently proven with the release of the all-new Arctic Cat 858 C-TEC2 engine and CATALYST snowmobile chassis.

“We seek to continue Arctic Cat’s investment in its brand, products, people and dealers, extending its positive momentum. As a permanent fixture of Thief River Falls, MN for over 63 years, this iconic brand has benefitted from the passion of not only the employees but also
the entire community. We are now able to wipe away any uncertainty and are looking ahead with great excitement.”, continued Mr. Darling.

After a 17-year tenure at Arctic Cat, Mr. Darling assumed the role of CEO and President of ARGO in 2016, where he remains today. Founded in 1967, ARGO is the worldwide leader for amphibious Xtreme Terrain Vehicles (XTVs). Their unmistakable 6- and 8-wheeled amphibious vehicles are well known for their ability to “Go Anywhere.” Mr. Darling will continue to lead both companies into the future while leaning on potential synergies shared within the offroad segment.

While each brand will be owned and operated separately, the brand alignment of ARGO alongside Arctic Cat is a perfect match as Arctic Cat’s line of machines bring the passion on and off the trail, while the ARGO adventure starts where the trail ends.

Whether you’re on-trail, off-trail, reaching new elevations or pushing limits on the track, Arctic Cat will be here, ready to support every checkered flag in your future. Arctic Cat is here to Share Our Passion with you for generations to come!

arcticcat.com

In our last writing we announced ARGO, makers of legendary 4, 6 and 8 wheeled Extreme Terrain Vehicles, ATVs and SXS, was definitely in play to ultimately acquire Arctic Cat. We haven’t said more than that reality – until today.

If you read our last release you heard ARGO’s CEO Brad Darling, the pre-Textron Vice President of Arctic Cat, was strongly rumored to be leading a purchase of Arctic Cat. Darling’s roots run deep in the snowmobile industry and he is well respected by everyone at Arctic Cat. We expect if Darling stick-handles a deal with Textron his team will have the best interests of the brand, the loyal legion of Arctic Cat owners and an anxious and proud dealer network.

So why are we reporting on this rumored acquisition of Arctic Cat by ARGO? Today, March 5th, Darling is in Thief River Falls, Minnesota with an important group of business leaders who appeared to be inspecting the TRF production facility.

To be completely clear, what we’ve reported here is true and accurate. However, it does not mean there will be a sale of Arctic Cat. We will go out on a limb and say this move today is extremely encouraging and appears to point to a deal that’s well on its way. Our contacts say this inspection of the TRF facilities by the team Darling is leading is a strong indication a deal could be as little as 60 days away.

Obviously, time is of the essence to finalize a deal and still offer a MY2026 new model lineup. From what we understand at this writing it is entirely possible this can happen, pending a successful sale.

This story is moving fast – real fast – and we will bring any new info to our valued readers and viewers as expeditiously as possible.

First, Why Have We Been Quiet?

The past two months we’ve been clearing rumors and speculative op-eds from our hard drives while waiting to bring you real info and not just opinion. Our viewers and readers have come to trust us for the straight goods on important topics.

This particular situation revolving around the future of Arctic Cat has been the most talked about issue in the sno-mo-media in the last ten years. I will attempt to bring some clarity by identifying what is likely happening and what is actually happening. We’ve waited until now to name names due to the sensitive nature of this important issue.

What’s With Textron?

Textron is a multi-billion dollar US Corporation with huge ties to the US military and – believe it or not – a formidable foot print in both the private aviation and golf cart/electric vehicle market. What Textron does not do is market or sell its products to the retail marketplace. It is a self-admitted Business to Business (B2B) focused entity.

This means Textron knows little about selling snowmobiles and offroad motorized recreational products. If there ever is a reconciliation of how this situation ended up as it is today, this one reality – Textron’s lack of experience with retail marketing – will be the best answer.

You don’t need to be Kreskin to realize Textron isn’t committed to the recreational powersports manufacturing business. Its communication with dealers and the enthusiast marketplace the past two months has been nothing short of dismal and all of it underlines the problem I just spoke of.

The powersports industry requires deep understanding of the target consumer and his/her expectations. We’re a complicated demographic but are loyal, dedicated and committed to our brands. When I say committed I mean way beyond common sense or practicality. Simply put, many snowmobilers are rabidly brand loyal.

So here’s what we think might be going on as the industry reels from the news Arctic Cat will be shut down for at least three months with no indication or most certainly no promise it will be back. For sure we shouldn’t assume the faithful devoted employees of Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls are not battle hardened. They are and this situation right now is impacting a lot of good people who know how to build great snowmobiles.

The Straight Goods

There are numerous rumors floating around the Powersports Industry right now. For sure there is no lack of speculation about what will happen to Arctic Cat moving out three months, six months and one year from now. John Deere – the agriculture giant that’s been in and out of the sno-mo biz more than once was spotted in TRF last summer. Immediately they were thought to be looking at Arctic Cat.

In the ensuing time Bobcat was painted with the same rumor. When CFMOTO signed on as an ISOC Sno-X masthead sponsor the grass caught on fire under the telephone lines. In some ways this move seemed the most believable amongst some pretty wild speculation. We’re prepared to say none of the aforementioned candidates hold much water.

Except…

Argo, the maker of Argo XTVs, ATVs and SXS vehicles has been making moves which go back more than 2 years. It is no secret things at Arctic Cat have been in turmoil for at least that long. For the past three years Textron has been showing the door to some immensely talented, even iconic, dedicated staff.

In almost lock step with these moves by Textron, Argo opened a full-on, fully staffed engineering and design facility in TRF. Guess who works for Argo now? You got it – fifty of the best minds in the recreational powersport industry.

There’s More

One of the most aggressive and talented CEOs in this business – Brad Darling – has led Argo to huge success – increasing sales of the company 4 fold in less than seven years. Who is Brad Darling? He is the former Vice President of Arctic Cat and served as such until the end of the Chris Metz era. Over the years I’ve interviewed Brad Darling. He is savvy and possesses infinite knowledge of what it takes to be successful in the powersports biz. Oh yeah. He bleeds green.

Draw A Line Through This

While we don’t have boilerplate confirmation Argo is positioning itself to take over Arctic Cat, it is undeniable something’s going on – with Brad Darling at the controls. For sure he knows the time line necessary to make this a reality is pretty short. If our thoughts here are correct, things may happen quickly.

There’s no doubt Arctic Cat is a 100% viable business proposition – when run by the right people. Clearly, the company needs to implement a substantial reversal of policy and procedures, moving forward. What does “moving forward mean”?

Is there, or was there ever a line up of companies ready to buy Arctic Cat? From what we’ve picked up using our top secret, Artificial Intelligence, there is and/or was interest – and we’ve verified it is serious. Know this – Arctic Cat remains much loved by a legion of green under-wearing enthusiasts. In my opinion? Arctic Cat is not done.

Here’s a twist perfectly suited for Read/Valve. The SnowTrax crew is planning to capture some Arctic Cat content with a best-before date of Spring 2025. Ask yourself why Arctic Cat would do this if it wasn’t going to sell new snowmobiles?

Here’s more. Arctic Cat’s brand-new engine – the 858 in the CATALYST platform is ready for prime time offering truly competitive performance in a very competitive market. Something this desirable is too good to waste.

Finally, one more thing. Have you heard the fat lady sing?

We haven’t.