Last fall, Arctic Cat sent a chill through the industry by announcing that it was pausing a significant portion of its operations. Reactions were strong, both from fans of Arctic Cat products and from those of other manufacturers. No one saw this as good news… On the contrary, in my opinion, it’s catastrophic for an industry like snowmobiling to be left with only two major manufacturers. This is also the sentiment shared by people at Ski-Doo and Polaris, as well as many dealers I’ve spoken with in recent weeks. No one is taking this as a positive development.
However, a glimmer of hope remains… The possibility that a potential buyer could acquire the assets of the Thief River Falls manufacturer. Starting in late December, numerous rumours suggested that CFMOTO, a manufacturer of motorcycles and ATVs, was very interested. Some even claimed the deal was already done. Of course, the announcement at the beginning of January that CFMOTO USA is one of the sponsors of the AMSOIL Snocross Championship added a lot of credibility to these rumours.
Another Buyer in the Running?
For my part, I believe another buyer might be much more plausible. In fact, I think Argo could surprise many by stepping in to acquire Arctic Cat. Let me explain… In recent years, Argo USA has established itself in Thief River Falls. What’s more, around 50 former Arctic Cat employees now work at Argo. (Learn more about this…) These are people with extensive experience in snowmobiles and ATVs. This means Argo has a wealth of expertise that could be leveraged to revive Arctic Cat’s operations. Additionally, the head of Argo USA is none other than Brad Darling. This Canadian native worked at Arctic Cat for about 15 years, including over 5 years as General Manager of the snowmobile division.
That’s why I’m willing to “bet my chips” on Argo!
Returning to the “Cat” Culture
I’ve always seen Arctic Cat as the little rebel among snowmobile manufacturers. This is what set it apart from the others, what made it unique to a certain extent. In my opinion, it’s also this “bad boy” flavour that appealed to many fans of the brand. When you look at the ads from back in the day, it’s impossible not to feel drawn to them and want to be part of that world.
Unfortunately, all of this has been lost since Textron acquired Arctic Cat. I really hope the “new direction” the company takes will draw inspiration from the culture that made Arctic Cat successful throughout its long history. Needless to say, I hope this story will have a new chapter very soon.
What about you? Do you believe in the return of the “Cats” in 2026?
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