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

Are you loving all the SHOOTOUTS this season?! This week we’re pitting three of the highest tech, 850-class, naturally aspirated snowmobiles offered this season against one another.

The fellas break things out into into several categories evaluating how our contenders perform in each and then select an overall winner, featuring the MXZ XRS 850 with SMART-SHOX, the Patriot 850 Indy VR1 with DYNAMIX and the ZR 858 CATALYST with ATAC!

Luke explores the championship winning characteristics of Ski-Doo’s snocross race sled and its influence on the MXZ trail sled line-up.

AJ takes a closer look at the 2025 Arctic Cat lineup going into detail where you can find the ALL-NEW 858 2-stroke engine if you’re looking to spring order a new Cat.

Then he’s in the TRAIL TECH shop outfitting a couple of our sleds with Kimpex’s growing assortment of Connect tunnel accessories including an assortment of bags, racks and gas cans.

Then in TEST RIDE, Motorhead Mark hits the trails aboard Ski-Doo’s 2024 Renegade XRS 900 Turbo R 4-stoke powerhouse.

Luke takes a deep dive into Arctic Cat’s ALL-NEW 858 2-stroke engine designed specifically for the CATALYST platform, speaking to Cat’s engineers and exploring details of this engine from concept to development.

Then AJ’s in the TRAIL TECH shop with our 2024 Ski-Doo MXZ XRS Competition Package enhancing traction with Woody’s Gold Digger Traction Master studs and then takes it for a rip to see the difference.

Then in TEST RIDE, Luke harnesses all 180-horsepower of Ski-Doo’s factory turbo 2-stroke trail rocket – the 2024 MXZ XRS Competition Package featuring the 850 E-TEC Turbo R engine.

Simply put, manufacturers like to be first out of the gate when it comes to unveiling next year’s sleds, but this comes with one major caveat. You can’t show your hand until your dealers’ showrooms are empty of current model year sleds. If you mess up this timing there’ll be a boatload of dealers screaming at their District Sales Managers that their current year product is now obsolete.

This is a complicated dance – most of the time. For Arctic Cat though, not so much. The company unveiled the all-new CATALYST platform over a year ago with one tell-tale feature missing. Everyone immediately knew the CATALYST would be carrying an 850-class engine in the very near future and here we are with the unveiling of the 858.

Let’s take a look at where this 165 horsepower, 2-stroke twin will show up in MY25 and explore some other interesting AC developments…

More Power

Some notable info on the 858 CATALYST comes in the form of an open admission that this engine met Arctic Cat’s engine design parameters of a full ten percent increase in peak horsepower!

Let’s do that math. I think it’s safe to say the former SDI 800 engine made between 150 and 160 ponies. If ten percent is spun off 150 horses then the new Stroker 858 is making 165 horsepower. If the ten percent is a result of starting with 160, then the 858 is making slightly more than 165. We’ll let you know what happens when we take a WOT run with the 858 down Kevlar Lake.

It’s Really All About CATALYST and the 858

The 858 was designed to be mounted in only the CATALYST. Yeah, we know, this year the CATALYST comes with the current 600 DSI engine. Truth is, the brain trust at Arctic Cat had to adapt the 600 to fit in this new platform. The 600 is actually mounted higher in the chassis than the 858. We look for a 600-class engine based on the 858’s architecture to arrive sometime in the future.

Based on our impressions after riding the 600, the new CATALYST feels light in the twisties and well balanced in the whoops. We already know the new 858 engine is within ounces of the 600’s weight so these handling impressions should hold true with the 858’s additional power.

Here’s the lineup…

The ZR for 2025 comes in three forms. The base line ZR is available with the 858 or the 600 DSI twin. Next is the ZR Sno Pro with the above two engine options, and finally the ZR with ATAC adjustable on-the-fly shocks. All three versions can be had with 129 or 137 X 1.25 lug RipSaw tracks. These models have many more unique and desirable features you can read about in the full AC release.

The CATALYST ZR R-XC also returns for MY25, now available with both the 600 DSI and 858 C-TEC2 engines featuring Fox QS3R shocks up front and the SLIDE-ACTION rear suspension features a Fox 1.5 QS3 on the front skid shock and a 2.0 QS3R on the rear. This sled’s only available as a 137 and boasts the 1.35 Cobra track.

It needs to be noted there’s also a ProCross-based ZR powered by a 1049cc, 135 horsepower class 4-stroke triple available with a 129 or 137 X 1.25 inch RipSaw. This is an important addition to the AC lineup for MY 2025. Arctic Cat needs 4-strokes and this is a good one.

The Thundercat returns for 2025 in the ProCross chassis powered by a 200-horsepower class turbocharged and intercooled 4-stroke engine offered standard with EPS and ATAC.

Back to CATALYST Models

The CATALYST based 2025 RIOT is available with either the 600 DSI or the Stroker 858 and is offered in three trim levels: Base, SnoPro or with ATAC. The RIOT utilizes an Arctic Cat X-Over “Cross Action” rear skid inside a 146-inch, 1.75-lug or a 146-inch 1.35 lug sneaker. It is worth mentioning all CATALYST models for 2025 use AC’s exclusive belt drive final drive system.

Cat also offers a RIOT built on the ProCross platform using the 998cc turbocharged and intercooled 200 HP class 4-stroke triple.

Steep and Deep CATALYST

The base M Alpha One and the M Alpha One SnoPro are available with either the 600 DSI or the 858 Stroker. Track choices for both the M models wrap around Arctic Cat’s proprietary single beam “Alpha One” skid in 146, 154 and 165 lengths using 2.6 or 3.0 lug options. There is also the M Mountain Cat in 2 iterations with only one engine choice – 858 power – the Mountain Cat and the Mountain Cat with ATAC. It appears at this writing both versions come with Arctic Cat’s G-8 Digital Display and both feature the Alpha One single-beam rear suspension.

That’s a quick run through the 2025 AC lineup paying specific attention to where the CATALYST with 858 power will be in play. We’ll bring you more info on AC’s 2025 lineup in the coming weeks. For now, take satisfaction in being among the very first people to see a full-on, next-year-introduction earlier than ever before!