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Polaris RZR

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2022 Polaris RZR Pro R Ultimate 4-Seater.

The Polaris RZR (Often pronounced as POLARIS RAZOR), is a sport side-by-side produced by Polaris Industries. 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

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LT-ATV variant of the MRZR-4 during Red Falcons familiarization
Polaris RZR XP Turbo ProStar

Civilian models:

  • RZR 170
  • RZR 570
  • RZR 800
  • 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[1]

Military models:

  • MRZR-2
  • MRZR-4
  • MRZR-D2
  • MRZR-D4

Military use

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21st Special Tactics Squadron, loads a Polaris MRZR-4 with full rear cargo bed onto a C-130 Hercules
A convoy of Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicles driven by FBI Hostage Rescue Team through thick brush.

U.S. Special Operations Command, (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.[2] A big drawback of these new small military vehicles was that they retained their original gasoline engines, which are incompatible with standard military JP-8 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, an engine change was deemed unlikely.[2]

US Army S.O.F. use RZR 800 out of CH-47

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, 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 1,500 lb (680 kg) of payload. Plans are to field 18 MRZR-Ds per infantry regiment. The vehicles were delivered from late-January to April 2017.[3][4][5]

U.S. Army 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, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan.

The Royal Navy has procured a batch of Polaris MRZR-D4 UTVs for the Royal Marines and a version of the MRZR has been in service with UK Special Forces for a number of years[6]

Current operators

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Military operators of the Polaris RZR
 Argentina
 Germany
 Hungary
 El Salvador
 India
 Lebanon
 New Zealand
 Portugal
 Romania
 Thailand
 Turkmenistan
 United Kingdom
 United States

Fire hazards and recalls

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A Polaris RZR on fire in the Mojave desert

For 2010, Polaris developed their own engine for the RZR, known as the ProStar.[18] Unlike the previous engine, which had the exhaust cooled by airflow, the ProStar equipped RZR connected the engine to the exhaust header pipe in the front of the engine, before making a 180 degree turn and exiting at the rear of the vehicle.[18] This design creates a hot spot directly behind passengers that can degrade components and ignite debris, fuel and plastic panels.[18] 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.[18] 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.[18]

In July 2014, an 11-year-old girl from Texas suffered 3rd and 4th degree burns on 60% of her body when the Polaris she was riding in tipped over and ignited.[19] Her right leg and left foot were later amputated.[19] A 15-year-old girl was killed when the RZR she was a passenger in caught fire in July 2015.[19] In September 2016, two Arizona women were killed when their Polaris tipped over and sparked a fire.[19]

In April 2018, Polaris was fined a record $27.5 million by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for two 2016 late-reporting claims relating to a fire risk.[20] The CPSC alleges Polaris had received reports of 150 RZR fires, including the death of the above-mentioned 15 year old passenger,[21] 11 reports of burn injuries and a fire that burned 10 acres of land, but failed to immediately notify them.[20] Over the years, Polaris has recalled more than half a million RZR's for manufacturing defects that could lead to fires, burns or death.[22] However, owners of RZRs are continuing to report fires on vehicles that been previously repaired, including total-loss fires.[22][23]

In May 2019, a 23-year-old man from Idaho suffered fatal burns when the RZR he was riding in burst into flames,[24] despite the 2017 RZR receiving the repairs under the 2018 recall.[18][25]

Specifications

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Light-Marine Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS)
RZR

570

RZR

800

RZR S

800

RZR XP

900

RZR XP

1000

RZR S 900 RZR S 1000 RZR XP

Turbo

RZR XP

Turbo S

RZR PRO XP RZR Turbo R RZR Pro R
Model Year Debut 2012 2008 2009 2011 2014 2015 2016 2016 2018 2020 2022 2022
Horsepower 45 52 56 88/96 107 75 100 144 168 181 181 225
Displacement (cc) 567 760 760 875 999 875 999 925 925 925 925 1997
Width 50 50 60 64 64 60 60 64 72 64 74 74
Wheelbase 77 77 77 81.4 90 79 79 90 90 96 96 104.5
Length 107.5 102 106 108 119 105 106 119 122 126 128 136.5
Ground Clearance 10 10 12 13 13.5 11 12.5 13.5 16 14.5 16 16
Front Tire Size 25 x 8-12 25 x 8-12 26 x 9-12 27 x 9-12 29 x 9-14 26 x 8-12 27 x 9-12 29 x 9-14 32 x 10-15 30 x 10-14 32 x 10-15 32 x 10-15
Rear Tire Size 25 x 10-12 25 x 10-12 26 x 12-12 27 x 11-12 29 x 11-14 26 x 9-12 27 x 11-12 29 x 11-14 32 x 10-15 30 x 10-14 32 x 10-15 32 x 10-15
Front Wheel Travel 9 9 12 13.5 16 12.25 12.25 16 19 17 22.25 22.25
Rear Wheel Travel 9.5 9.5 12 14 18 13.2 13.2 18 21 20 22.4 24.5
Dry Weight (lbs.) 970 945 1,000 1,190 1,379 1,148 1,235 1,495 1,751 1,759 1,943 2,085

Numbers above are for the first model year available. Units in inches unless otherwise noted. Numbers are manufacturer's where available.

References

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  1. ^ "2022 Polaris RZR Pro R vs. RZR Turbo R". MotorTrend. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
  2. ^ a b "Internal Server Error". Janes.com.
  3. ^ Marine Corps to Equip Infantry Units with Polaris ATVs - DoDBuzz.com, 27 September 2016
  4. ^ Marine grunts to get new all-terrain vehicles for missions - MarineCorpstimes.com, 22 November 2016
  5. ^ Marine Grunts Will Start Getting ATVs in January - Defensetech.org, 23 November 2016
  6. ^ "New Royal Marines Polaris MRZR-D4". 18 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Bundeswehr führt multifunktionale Tarnbeleuchtung für taktische Fahrzeuge ein". 25 July 2022.
  8. ^ Kelecsényi, István (2022). "A Magyar Honvédség Polaris MRZR ultrakönnyű harcászati járművei" (PDF). Haditechnika (in Hungarian). 56 (2). Budapest: 39–44. doi:10.23713/HT.56.2.08. ISSN 0230-6891.
  9. ^ "Watch: Rajnath Singh Drives An All-Terrain Vehicle In Kashmir". 22 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Military Digest: Army conducts 'Exercise Blitzkrieg' in Ladakh". 22 July 2022.
  11. ^ "New Zealand Army receives first six Polaris MRZR vehicles". Janes.com. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  12. ^ Redação (2022-05-04). "GNR tem nova "bomba" nas estradas (e apresenta novas cores das viaturas)". O Minho (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  13. ^ "Portuguese Army RZR". Twitter. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  14. ^ "Romania Orders Polaris DAGOR Ultralight Tactical Vehicles". edrmagazine.eu. 11 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Procurement of Polaris UTV for Thai Rapid Deployment Force". defense-studies. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  16. ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (27 September 2021). "Snaps From Ashgabat: Turkmenistan's 2021 Military Parade". Oryx Blog.
  17. ^ "Video: MRZR Drive through thick brush". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  18. ^ a b c d e f Jeans, David (6 September 2019). "The Polaris RZR, an Off-Road Thrill That Can Go Up in Flames". The New York Times.
  19. ^ a b c d "Fire Danger Persists for Polaris Off-Road Vehicles". FairWarning. February 20, 2018.
  20. ^ a b [1] - startribune.com, 2 April 2018
  21. ^ Duprey, Rich (December 28, 2017). "450,000 Recalls Later, Polaris Industries Says Its ATVs Are Still a Fire Hazard". The Motley Fool.
  22. ^ a b [2] - motleyfool.com 13 Apr 2017
  23. ^ "Joint Statement of CPSC and Polaris on Polaris RZR 900 and 1000 Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs)". U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
  24. ^ 29 Sept 2019
  25. ^ UTV Resource
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