Press Release –

BRP, through its Austrian affiliate BRP-Rotax GmbH, jointly with the Government of Upper Austria, announced today the creation of an advanced research centre, the Regionales Innovations Centrum (RIC).

Located in Gunskirchen, the RIC will bring together a pool of highly qualified and skilled people and provide them with a stimulating setting for the development of new engine technologies.

The RIC project represents a total investment of € 8.5 million ($CA 12 million). BRP will cover 75% of the costs; 24.5% will come from the municipality of Gunskirchen, supported by the Upper Austrian Government, the city of Wels and the municipalities of the Wels-Land district; and another 0.5% by the Oberbank Wels.

“With this project we will be able to develop and train highly skilled employees, which will help BRP remain competitive in its markets and position the Upper Austria region as a good business location to find highly skilled and qualified people,” said Gerd Ohrnberger, vicepresident and general manager, BRP-Rotax.

An innovative platform for the exchange of creative thinking between universities and the industry, the RIC stands for the next generation of technology centres. With construction scheduled to start before the end of 2007, the new building will be built on BRP-Rotax’s premises.

“Our future is research and knowledge. The RIC, a regional innovation centre of the next generation, combines these pillars perfectly: R&D on one side and high-level qualification on the other. That is the clear path for the future, which we set with the economic program “Innovative Upper Austria 2010″ and now consequently realize and steer,” said Viktor Sigl, Minister of Economy, Labour, Youth and Education of Upper Austria State. “The RIC is a major boost not only for the region but also for the whole business community of Upper Austria,” he added.

Over the last two years, BRP has announced investments of approximately € 21 million ($CA 30 million) in research and development and in design and innovation for the advancement of new products and technologies. These investments are BRP’s response to globalization, competition from low-cost countries and a strong Canadian dollar. The company believes that through these investments it will keep introducing new and innovative products to remain the leader in its traditional markets and continue to gain market share in the others.

“The RIC reconfirms BRP’s commitment to innovation in order to maintain its global leadership position,” said José Boisjoli, president and CEO, BRP. “The RIC will work closely with BRP’s advanced technology and design and innovation centres in Canada to develop synergies between Europe and North America and better support BRP’s global needs,” he concluded.

Josef Fuerlinger has been appointed general manager of the Regionales Innovations Centrum. He has been a BRP-Rotax employee since 1990.

A depiction of the project is available at www.brp.com

Former Ski-Doo pilot Steve Taylor has inked a deal with Yamaha and will race entirely under Yamaha’s management. In other words, no Boss-style team-in-a-team deal like Malinoski brought with him (and took to Ski-Doo).

Yamaha will have full control of what goes on in its race trailer and Taylor, who has shown promise in WPSA Pro Sno-X racing, will answer directly to Yamaha Race Manager, Greg Marier.

Along with Taylor comes the 2007 WPSA National Semi-Pro Open Champ Cory Davis. Davis will be defending his Semi-Pro title this season using a Nytro based Open Mod. Both riders claim to have logged significant hours on the racing Nytro this spring and are enthusiastic about their chances in WPSA competition.

Here’s our take on the aforementioned team shuffling. Yamaha did what nobody thought possible. It successfully executed a credible assault on the toughest snowmobile racing discipline – WPSA Sno-X.

Naturally, Malinoski was integral to Yamaha’s success; obviously the Nytro-Mod couldn’t win a National with a dud on its back. However, the Yamaha effort last season was entirely credible and Malinoski’s migration should not be seen as less than competitive.

Will Yamaha have as much success with Taylor on the Nytro in 2008? We think Yamaha’s continued success in Sno-X will be rooted in the talent of its drivers and not with the sophistication of the sled. More wins are inevitable.

Online Used Sleds Sales Part of National Go Snowmobiling Campaign

Press Release –

SLEDS2BUY.COM is Canada’s new classified powersports website dedicated to buying and selling motorized recreational vehicles. By listing snowmobiles, ATV’s or trailers on SLEDS2BUY.COM, sellers can connect with thousands of powersports enthusiasts nationally and in every province.

SLEDS2BUY.COM is one important initiative in a national “Go Snowmobiling” strategy launched this year by the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO), the umbrella organization that represents Canada’s provincial and territorial snowmobiling associations.

“Go Snowmobiling is geared to bring new participants to recreational snowmobiling and these folks will want their own sleds,” said Dennis Burns, executive director of the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO). “SLEDS2BUY.COM provides a user friendly way for people to shop, compare and buy online from an array of affordable sleds that otherwise would not be accessible or available to them.”

Starting September 14th, SLEDS2BUY.COM provides four distinct benefits for building a stronger snowmobile industry, according to Burns.

Benefit #1 is that SLEDS2BUY.COM gives all riders an affordable, accessible new outlet for listing used vehicles and equipment. This availability promises to spark increased entry-level, used sled sales, and to encourage more grassroots participation in snowmobiling, especially among first-timers, families who need inexpensive second or third sleds, and those wanting to get back into snowmobiling again at a modest cost. In turn, these participants will be more likely to trade up as their interest and involvement in snowmobiling increases.

Benefit #2 is that SLEDS2BUY.COM provides many existing owners, who have not previously been able to sell their sleds privately or use them to trade up at a dealer, with a new opportunity to turn their used vehicles into cash. Their new found buying power will help boost new and non current sales from dealers and strengthen the market position of the four snowmobile manufacturers, Arctic Cat, Polaris, Ski-Doo and Yamaha.

Benefit #3 is that SLEDS2BUY.COM provides dealers with a new way to move their own used sleds and non-current inventory. This in turn, will help dealers build their bottom lines, attract new customers, and increase their willingness to take sleds in on trade.

Benefit #4 is that SLEDS2BUY.COM provides organized snowmobiling with a new revenue stream, since a portion of every listing fee going to support CCSO national safety and environment programs and the trail operations of CCSO member associations. With these new dollars flowing, snowmobiling in Canada will become even better for all riders, and best of all, these improvements should also help fulfill the Go Snowmobiling mandate by attracting additional new participants.

SLEDS2BUY.COM offers a two-tier fee structure, where sellers can list their sleds provincially or nationally. The fee for a 30-day national listing, including up to 30 photos is $30, or as Burns likes to say, “30-30-30”! Bulk listings of ten or more non-current and used sleds are available to dealers at a very attractive rate.

Visit SLEDS2BUY.COM.

Press Release –

The 2008 Team Arctic Race School will be held Saturday, November 10, 2007 in Thief River Falls, MN. The location will be announced shortly, so please watch this site for future information.

A 2008 600 Sno Pro unveiling reception will kick off Race School on Friday, November 9, 2007 starting around 6:00 p.m. This event is open to the public, so everyone is welcome to witness the covers being pulled off the most talked about race sled to hit the track this season.

The Team Arctic race school and technical seminars will be held at the Arctic Cat Factory on Saturday, November 10th. These classes will be a RSVP invite only to the owners and mechanics who purchased the 2008 600 Sno Pro race sled.

You will be limited to 3 people per racer. Race sled, fuel and oil pick up will also take place on November 10th at the factory. The agenda outlining times and dates for Race School will be mailed out to all racers who have indicated that they are purchasing the new 2008 600 Sno Pro, along with the clothing and special parts order forms next week.

There will be no outside vendors or aftermarket personnel on hand that day. There may be brochures/ literature available.

Press Release –

Polaris Industries Inc. today announced that a report which appeared on Reuters.com about company plans to build a new snowmobile plant in Southeast Europe is untrue.

Polaris has released the following statement in response to the false news report.

“The story released today about Polaris’s plan to construct a new snowmobile plant in Romania or Bulgaria is erroneous and untrue,” said Polaris CEO Tom Tiller.

“We are working diligently to discover the source, and will deal with the issue swiftly. More importantly, our company will continue to produce the finest snowmobiles in the world in our facility in Roseau, MN, where we have built them since the company’s inception.”