In a bid to showcase dominance of the toughest once again, Polaris India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc., the world leader in off-road and All-Terrain Vehicles will be participating in one of the most challenging desert rallies, the Desert Storm 2014.
The rally will get a ceremonial start from New Delhi on the morning of 24th February, 2014. The actual start of the Rally will be from Sardarshahar, Churu in Rajasthan in the late night hours of 24 February, 2014. The rally will then traverse the demanding 2,500kms through the rough terrains of Sardarshahar (Churu), Bikaner, Jaisalmer to finally come to a halt in Jaipur on the 1st of March, 2014.This year the rally will also continue into the night for 3 nights making the challenge even tougher for the participants.
The first two days, February 22nd and 23rd will be for the administrative and technical scrutiny of the participating vehicles to ensure adherence of safety norms issued by FIA, FIM and the Federation.
Polaris India is going to participate in the Desert Storm 2014 for the third consecutive year. Upping the toughness quotient, this year Polaris will be participating in the Xtreme 4 wheelers category T3 with its RZR XP 900 model which will be marking its debut in the rally. The vehicle will be driven by the company’s award-winning ace rider Raj Singh Rathore along with navigator Vishnu Singh. Mr. Rathore had last year topped the Xtreme Quad category at the Desert Storm 2013. The second Polaris entrant at the Desert Storm will be the Polaris Sportsman 850 and will be driven by Ankush Gulati.
The RZR XP 900 is featured with Polaris exclusive Optimized Mass Design. The engine and other components are strategically placed to create the absolute lowest centre of gravity for ultimate razor sharp performance, even in tough desert terrains.
Specifically built for an extreme performance, RZR XP 900 delivers fast throttle response, groundbreaking power and revolutionary acceleration. The design ensures more power to the ground, less driveline noise and lighter weight. The 3-Link Trailing Arm IRS to handle all that power, paired with Dual-A-Arm front suspension with 13.5″ of travel, further soaks up the rough stuff and delivers a smooth, precise ride every time.
The RZR XP 900 is equipped with a Passenger-side glove box which has 3 gallons of space for convenient, water-resistant storage. It comes with Front drive cage made from billet aluminium and thick skid plate for added durability. Its fit and finish in the cockpit minimizes the heat and dust in the cab and comes with durable dual clutch inlet which draws air in for low and high speed cooling. Features which make it ideal to suit the intense desert conditions of this Rally.
The Polaris Sportsman 850 is has a high-output 850 Twin EFI engine with a SOHC cranks out 77 HP. It delivers unbeatable acceleration off the line with incredible power to the ground. Add-in a clean fuel burn and smooth power delivery with dual-balanced shafts and you’ve got the power you’re looking for to trail ride and hunt. The braking systems work together to monitor and control downhill braking to give optimum control and smooth, even deceleration during descents (less than 15 mph).
Speaking about Polaris’s participation in the Desert Storm Rally2014, Mr. Pankaj Dubey, Managing Director, Polaris India Pvt. Ltd., said, “The Desert Storm2014 is a thrilling, adrenaline pumping rally which will test for extreme survival for the participants and the vehicles alike. Like always, we are excited to be a part of this adventurous journey and are confident that our machine the RZR® XP 900 and Sportsman® 850 will live up to the power and endurance that is a hallmark of all Polaris models. With our adept and capable riders at the wheel we are positively looking at a great, competitive rally for us.”
The Desert Storm is an extreme endurance event of marathon proportion and is considered one of the toughest motorsport. It is India’s longest cross country rally. The rally which tests the qualities of endurance, ingenuity, physical and mental toughness of the driver. Polaris is one of the regular participants of the rally. Besides this, it has also participated in the Raid de Himalaya and Dakshin Dare and has emerged as a clear winner.
Polaris vehicles have established their high durability and low maintenance qualities in the rallies it has participated in the past. The vehicles have delivered high performance without demanding any service during the consecutives days of the rallies.