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Maverick shakes up the sport side-by-side landscape

Can-Am UTV turns heads with 101hp engine

And now there are three. The sport side-by-side segment took on a new look in September when Can-Am joined a roster that previously included only Polaris and Arctic Cat in the world of sport side-by-sides.

Can-Am unveiled its new-for-2013 Maverick 1000R first at the Sand Sport Super Show, then later in September at the BRP Dealer Meeting near Washington, D.C. And with the product’s launch, the Maverick essentially proclaimed “Game on!” to its Minnesota-based competitor OEMs.

The Maverick 1000R’s 101hp tops both the Polaris RZR XP 900 (88hp) and the Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000 (77hp). BRP promotional documents for the Maverick 1000R cite the horsepower data as per manufacturer’s official model-year 2012-13 declaration to the California Air Resources Board.

“The horsepower number is the number one thing that everybody talks about — 101 horsepower,” said Chaz Rice, Can-Am manager of media and public relations. “And we deliver a reliable 101 horsepower with a Rotax engine to get the most out of it. Power is king in the sand and in the desert, but at the same time it’s also nimble enough for trails.”

The horsepower is only the start, as the yellow Maverick’s $15,999 MSRP will be the same as that of the RZR XP 900. The yellow and black Maverick 1000R X rs will fetch $17,499.

The 2013 Can-Am Maverick 1000R features a 101hp V-twin engine to give previously unknown power to side-by-side riders.

“From the minute the XP 900 and later the Wildcat were released, because performance is so important to Can-Am and BRP, we knew that we had to release something that would blow the consumer away with the power, handling and overall fit and finish of the machine that would appeal to a wide range of people,” Rice said. “In the U.S., the MSRP is the same as the Polaris XP 900, so consumers will have to look to see what you get for that price — Maverick power that’s about 15 percent more than the XP 900. Now when the consumer walks into the dealership and they have a choice between the two, it’s going to be a decision where they can see the value in what they’re getting for the same dollars as the XP 900.”

In addition to industry-leading power, precision handling and performance, ergonomics and the overall fit and feel of the cockpit took had prime real estate in the design of the Maverick. Its four-seated companion vehicle, the Maverick Max, also debuted in September and will have model-year 2014 availability next summer.

The Maverick platform provides a setting for the debut of Can-Am’s five-link Torsional Trailing A-arms independent rear suspension.

“It’s unprecedented for us,” Rice said of the setup that provides extensive weight saving compared to competitor models. “It beats everybody in camber and caster and wheel scrub. Consumers are taking note of how lightweight this suspension package is.”
They’ll also be taking note of a competitor in the sport side-by-side department.

“We have lots of dealers who have sold many XPs. They view the Maverick as a very positive addition,” Rice said. “Our dealers realize that with Can-Am, there’s a certain amount of profitability there as well. That’s important for us to deliver to our customers — the dealers.”

The Maverick will have mass availability in February, with limited availability in the southwestern U.S. in December.

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