Get FinancingA Fast, Snowy History Of BRP
BRP is a Valcourt, Quebec, Canada-based manufacturer of various types of recreational and utility vehicles. The company currently offers products in more than 100 countries and supports more than 4,200 dealers and distributors. In its 70-year history, BRP is responsible for a number of innovations, including the first sit-down watercraft, the first tracked vehicle for transportation on snow-covered terrain, and the first all-terrain vehicle designed for two riders.
Making Waves
The company was originally founded in 1942. But it was several years prior to that when the founder, Joseph-Armand Bombardier, obtained a first patent for the sprocket wheel/track system, applied on the B7 snowmobile, in 1937. In 1941, Bombardier launched its B12 snowmobile, which enabled safer transportation for passenger and goods in otherwise impassible snow-packed conditions and polar regions. Bombardier manufactured all-track vehicles for the Canadian military during World War II. Following the end of the War, Bombardier opened the doors on a high-capacity factory that began mass-producing the popular B12 and C18 tracked snowmobiles.
In the 1950s, Joseph-Armand Bombardier set his sights on the forestry, mining, and utilities industries. His expanding lineup of vehicles now included the fully tracked Muskeg tractor capable of maneuvering through even the harshest terrain, and the J5 tractor, which later became the SW model used for sidewalk clearing.
Fun In The Snow
Ski-Doo®, which today is part of BRP’s brand portfolio, was the name attached to Bombardier’s first enthusiast-centric snow vehicle, which Bombardier launched in 1959. Legend has it that Joseph-Armand Bombardier’s intention was to name the iconic machine the Ski-Dog, but a spelling error in the brochure referred to it as Ski-Doo, and the name just stuck. Although this launch credits Bombardier with founding the leisure sport of snowmobiling, this vehicle also found favor among missionaries, hunters, miners, land surveyors, and others who work in snowy conditions.
New Products & Markets
As of 2018, it has been fifty years since the company introduced its first personal watercraft, the rather unsurprisingly named Sea-Doo®. In 1969, Bombardier Limited went public, listing 2 million shares on the Montreal and Toronto Stock Exchanges. In 1971, the company launched several new snowmobiles tailored for different types of riders. The same year, the company acquired competing snowmobile manufacturer, Moto-Ski. In 1972, the company created a new division, Can-Am®, dedicated to developing all-terrain motorcycles. A million Ski-Doo® snowmobiles had been manufactured by 1973 and that number would double by 1993.
In 1994, Bombardier launched its twin-engine Sea-Doo® jet drive boat, which measures 14-feet long and can handle up to four passengers. With 1998’s TraxterTM model, the company jumped into the ATV market. Just three years later, Canada’s ATV Guide names the Quest 650 and DS650 Baja “ATV of the Year” for 2002. Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) is launched in 2003, selling off the industrial division to Camoplast, to focus entirely on manufacturing a variety of recreational vehicles. One of the more recent developments is the release of the powerful 850cc Rotax® 850 E-TEC® engine, which the company installs into its fastest and most agile snowmobiles.
If you’re looking for new or used BRP products, Ski-Doo® snowmobiles, Can-Am® ATV, you’ll find a variety of models available for sale on MotorSportsUniverse.com.
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