![Polaris RZR XP 900](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Polaris_RZR_XP_900.jpg)
The Polaris RZR (pronounced "razor") is a sport
side-by-side produced by
Polaris Industries
Polaris Inc. is an American automotive manufacturer of RZR, motorcycles, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and neighborhood electric vehicles headquartered in Medina, Minnesota, United States. Polaris was founded in Roseau, Minnesota, where ...
. When launched in 2007 as a 2008 model, it was officially known as the Ranger RZR, as it was marketed as a sub-model of the larger, work-oriented Ranger. As the RZR gained popularity, Polaris eventually dropped the Ranger designation and positioned the RZR as a stand-alone model.
RZR models in the US
![7324Polaris RZR XP Turbo ProStar Engines DOHC 14](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/7324Polaris_RZR_XP_Turbo_ProStar_Engines_DOHC_14.jpg)
Civilian models:
* RZR 170
* RZR 570
* RZR 800
The Polaris RZR 800 will serve you well with proper use and maintenance. Also, it will last a long time and it is remarkably responsive with lots of power.
* RZR S 800
* RZR 900
* RZR S 900
* RZR XP 900
* RZR S 1000
* RZR XP 1000
* RZR XP Turbo
* RZR XP Turbo S
* RZR RS1
* RZR Turbo R
* RZR Pro R
Military models:
* MRZR-2
* MRZR-4
* MRZR-D2
* MRZR-D4
Military use
U.S. Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Arm ...
, (USSOCOM), placed an order with Polaris Defense in September 2013 for up to 1,500 MRZR-2 (2-seat) and MRZR-4 (4-seat) machines.
A big drawback of these new small military vehicles was that they retained their original
gasoline engines
Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic com ...
, which are incompatible with standard military
JP-8
JP-8, or JP8 (for "Jet Propellant 8") is a jet fuel, specified and used widely by the US military. It is specified by MIL-DTL-83133 and British Defence Standard 91-87, and similar to commercial aviation's Jet A-1, but with the addition of corrosio ...
fuel. In terms of logistics, two different fuel types are undesirable. As few such machines see combat use, and civilian users are uninterested in running them on
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
, an engine change was deemed unlikely.
[
]
In November 2016, the U.S. Marine Corps signed a $2.5 million contract with Polaris to deliver 144 MRZR-D vehicles. Called the Utility Task Vehicle (UTV), it is designed to be diesel-powered and can run on JP-8 fuel. The Marines bought the unarmored vehicles because they can fit inside an MV-22 Osprey
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a convention ...
, enabling them to be deployed from long distances, to provide logistics support to ground combat units, assisting them to travel and transport supplies quicker and easier than previously on foot. The vehicles can carry four marines and have a small cargo bed capable of carrying of payload. Plans are to field 18 MRZR-Ds per infantry regiment. The vehicles were delivered from late-January to April 2017.
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
soldiers with Special Operations Task Force / South also used Polaris RZR 800 Light Tactical All-Terrain Vehicles (LT-ATV), internally transportable by CH-47 Chinook helicopter, and rapidly off-loadable, during operations in 2010 in the Maruf District
Maruf District (from the Persian: معروف), also Ma'ruf or Maroof, is a district in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Arghistan District to the west, Zabul Province to the north and Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the ...
, Kandahar Province
Kandahār ( ps, ; Kandahār, prs, ; ''Qandahār'') is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country, sharing a border with Pakistan, to the south. It is surrounded by Helmand in the west, Uruzgan ...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
.
The Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
has procured a batch of Polaris MRZR-D4 UTVs for the Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...
and a version of the MRZR has been in service with UK Special Forces
The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) is a directorate comprising the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, the Special Forces Support Group, 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment and the Joint Special Forces ...
for a number of years
Current operators
;
* Argentine Army
The Argentine Army ( es, Ejército Argentino, EA) is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of Argentina. Under the Argentine Constitution, the president of Argentina is the commander- ...
;
* Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
;
* New Zealand Army
, image = New Zealand Army Logo.png
, image_size = 175px
, caption =
, start_date =
, country =
, branch = ...
;
* National Republican Guard (Emergency Protection and Relief Unit)
* Portuguese Army
The Portuguese Army ( pt, Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...
(Special Operations Troops Centre
, image = CTOE unit crest.png
, image_size =
, caption = CTOE coat of arms
, nickname = ''Rangers''
, motto = la, Que os muitos p ...
)
;
*Armed Forces of Turkmenistan
The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan ( tk, Türkmenistanyň Ýaragly Güýçleri), known informally as the Turkmen National Army () is the national military of Turkmenistan. It consists of the Turkmen Ground Forces, Ground Forces, the Turkmen Air F ...
;
*Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...
*United Kingdom Special Forces
The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) is a directorate comprising the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, the Special Forces Support Group, 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment and the Joint Special Force ...
;
* United States Special Operations Command
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Arm ...
*United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
Fire hazards and recalls
For 2010, Polaris developed their own engine for the RZR, known as the ProStar. Unlike the previous engine, which had the exhaust cooled by airflow
Airflow, or air flow, is the movement of air. The primary cause of airflow is the existence of air. Air behaves in a fluid manner, meaning particles naturally flow from areas of higher pressure to those where the pressure is lower. Atmospheric a ...
, the ProStar equipped RZR connected the engine to the exhaust header
In automotive engineering, an exhaust manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders into one pipe. The word '' manifold'' comes from the Old English word ''manigfeald'' (from the Anglo-Saxon ''manig'' anyand ''feald'' old and re ...
pipe in the front of the engine, before making a 180 degree turn and exiting at the rear of the vehicle. This design creates a hot spot directly behind passengers that can degrade components and ignite debris, fuel and plastic panels. Customers soon reported plastic panels between the passengers and the engine were melting and smoking and Polaris' safety director at the time believed the vehicle should be recalled. However, no recall was performed, with Polaris issuing a service bulletin which does not require Polaris to issue notice to consumers or the Consumer Product Safety Commission
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC, CPSC, or commission) is an independent agency of the United States government. The CPSC seeks to promote the safety of consumer products by addressing “unreasonable risks” of inj ...
.
In July 2014, an 11-year-old girl from Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
suffered 3rd and 4th degree burns Burns may refer to:
* Burn, an injury (plural)
People:
* Burns (surname), includes list of people and characters
Business:
* Burns London, a British guitar maker
Places:
;In the United States
* Burns, Colorado, unincorporated community in Eagle ...
on 60% of her body when the Polaris she was riding in tipped over and ignited. Her right leg and left foot were later amputated
Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indivi ...
. A 15-year-old girl was killed when the RZR she was a passenger in caught fire in July 2015. In September 2016, two Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
women were killed when their Polaris tipped over and sparked a fire.
In April 2018, Polaris was fined a record $27.5 million by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC, CPSC, or commission) is an independent agency of the United States government. The CPSC seeks to promote the safety of consumer products by addressing “unreasonable risks” of inj ...
(CPSC) for two 2016 late-reporting claims relating to a fire risk.
- startribune.com, 2 April 2018 The CPSC alleges Polaris had received reports of 150 RZR fires, including the death of the above-mentioned 15 year old passenger, 11 reports of burn injuries and a fire that burned 10 acres of land, but failed to immediately notify them. Over the years, Polaris has recalled more than half a million RZR's for manufacturing defects that could lead to fires, burns or death.
- motleyfool.com 13 Apr 2017 However, owners of RZRs are continuing to report fires on vehicles that been previously repaired, including total-loss fires.
In May 2019, a 23-year-old man from Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...
suffered fatal burns when the RZR he was riding in burst into flames.,[29 Sept 2019](_blank)
/ref> despite the 2017 RZR receiving the repairs under the 2018 recall.UTV Resource
/ref>
Specifications
Numbers above are for the first model year available. Units in inches unless otherwise noted. Numbers are manufacturer's where available.
References
External links
2018 Polaris RZR Models , Polaris RZR
{{Post-WWII US Soft Vehicles
Off-road vehicles
Vehicles introduced in 2007
Military vehicles introduced in the 2000s
Military vehicles of the United States
ATVs