skidoo intros vtwin 4stroker

 In one brief press announcement Ski-Doo jumps to the top of the 4-stroke food chain. Just hours ago, Ski-Doo's marketing heavyweights unveiled snowmobiling's first V-twin, four-stroke engined sled. The major topic of conversation, of course, is the all new Rotax-engineered and built one-liter motor. A sophisticated piece of equipment the design features state-of-the-art automotive technology that includes:

¥ overhead cams;
¥ four-valves per cylinder breathing;
¥ heated throttle body electronic fuel injection;
¥ an 80-degree vee design that eliminates the need for a counter-balancer;
¥ dry oil sump with dual oil pumps for superior lubrication;
heated oil sump;
¥ Bombardier TRA-clutching based drive system;
¥ And, 80 percent reduction in hydrocarbon emissions versus a conventional 2-stroke sled engine.
 
This marks the first 4-stroke powerplant seen in a Ski-Doo since the early 1960s when some of the original Ski-Doo Olympiques sold in the Northeastern US were fitted with Kohler 4-strokes. The prototype was fitted into a MXZ chassis and was said to have performance and weight parameters approximating the 2001 Ski-Doo SE.

The new Rotax-built 4-TEC four-stroke displaces approximately 1000cc. When Ski-Doo personnel started the engine, it had a V-twin rumble more like a big Honda or Yamaha vee motor and less like a Harley. It was obvious that the engine's exhaust is yet to be finalized as it the system we saw was more a twisted set of header pipes dumping into a large silencing canister. The intake is rather conventional by automotive standards - and therefore should be trouble-free for sledders. This marks only the second time in recent memory that Ski-Doo has fitted a fuel injection system to a sled it was readying for production. We expect to see this sled on the snow later this winter and perhaps available for sale by 2003. You can see it Hay Days this weekend.
 
What about performance? Ski-Doo execs were very close-lipped about what this sled will do on the snow. Based on our own internal guesstimates, we'd figure the engine might be developing upwards of 80 horsepower in its present state of tune with on-snow performance comparable to a Legend series 500 liquid-cooled snowmobile. We figure the sled's forte will be more on acceleration than top speed at this date, but from preliminary views of the engine, we figure this design can accommodate much more power. Remember, Arctic Cat's 660cc 4-stroke delivers 45 horsepower and has a top speed nearing 60 miles per hour.

Rotax is no stranger to 4-stroke engines as it has been supplying BMW motorcycles with a 650cc single cylinder, 4-valved 4-strokes since 1993. The powerplant in the Bombardier ATV line is a 650 4-TEC design and just recently Sea-Doo unveiled a 1500cc 4-stroke drive system. Four-strokes are quite "Doo-able" for Bombardier in its recreational lines.

The 4-TEC is said to break new ground in power-to-weight versus an inline design; provide reduced emissions; and improve fuel economy. Stay tuned for more on the all new Ski-Doo 4-TEC V1000. Have a peek and have a listen at Hay Days starting Saturday.