Polaris has officially been crowned Australia's number one off-road vehicle brand after yet another outstanding growth year in Australia for the USD $5 billion turnover North American powersports giant.
Not content with market leadership alone, Polaris' 6037 retail sales in 2016 was also the biggest year ever by any brand in the Australian off-road vehicle market, making Polaris the first brand to ever exceed 6,000 sales in a single year.
Interestingly, Polaris has now also grown to be the seventh largest brand in the total Australian motorcycle market, despite not competing in the two-wheel off-road, road and scooter segments which comprise 80 percent of the market.
Polaris grew sales by 942 vehicles or 19 percent in 2016, outpacing even a booming market place which in itself grew 14 percent for the year, according to data released today by industry data supplier DataMotive. Polaris finished the year a clear market leader, 205 units and almost one full market share point clear of its nearest rival.
The growth vehicle for Polaris was undoubtedly its range of 23 models with Roll Over Protection Structures (ROPS), with sales of Ranger side x sides growing by 27 percent and sales of the unique single-seater Polaris ACE growing by a staggering 47 percent versus 2015.
This trend was consistent with the huge market shift towards ROPS vehicles in 2016, with the ATV market remaining relatively flat whilst the side x side market grew in excess of 40 percent.
"It is certainly no coincidence that the brand with an industry-leading 23 models with ROPS is also the market leader," said Polaris Australia & New Zealand Managing Director, Peter Alexander.
"The market is now demanding safety technology such as ROPS, evidenced by the seismic market shift towards side x sides and ACE.
"Customers have again voted with their wallets for Polaris as a brand that provides them with incredible choice, and importantly, solutions for the safety conscious."
Highlighting the importance of safety technology such as ROPS to the current-day farmer, WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW both released generous safety rebate schemes in 2016 which provided significant financial support for customers to transition from an ATV to a side x side or ACE.
"We applaud WorkSafe Victoria and SafeWork NSW for allowing safety rebates to be utilized to shift from an ATV to a side x side," Alexander said. "We have, and will continue, to partner with workplace regulatory bodies nationwide as we adopt a proactive approach to safety."
The value equation with Polaris Ranger and ACE models goes well beyond a ROPS structure, with safety technology such as SpeedKey, seat belt interlock, side nets and 4-Wheel Descent Control also standard on most of the 23 models with ROPS, along with industry leading ride quality, carrying and towing capabilities.
"It's a case of safety technology meeting utility. The features and capabilities on a Ranger are industry-leading, which places us well ahead of all side x side competitors, one of whom offers a side x side that doesn't even have basic utility features such as a tipping rear dump box," Alexander said.
"And then there is ACE, a single-seater ROPS-equipped vehicle which offers the size and agility of an ATV with the protection features of a Ranger.
"ACE is indeed so unique that after three years in the market, the industry still can't work out how to classify it, and have yet to come up with an appropriate category into which ACE sales can be accurately recorded."
Despite taking clear market leadership in 2016, Polaris still expressed concerns over the integrity of the market data and expressed its desire – as it has on many occasions over the past five years – that the market share data submitted by manufacturers be audited.
"We need to ensure the veracity of data, and the only way for that to happen is through auditing by an independent, third-party resource."
For more information or to locate your nearest Polaris dealer, please visit www.polarisindustries.com.au
About Polaris
Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER®, RZR® and POLARIS GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN® and POLARIS ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; VICTORY® and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, SWITCHBACK® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence in adjacent markets globally with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles.
www.polarisindustries.com.au
Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "PII", and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.