Competition expands utility vehicle choices

With new players on the scene and a bevy of new product introductions slated for the next six to 12 months, competition is heating up among utility vehicle manufacturers. Never before have superintendents had this many utility vehicles to choose from.

Yamaha Golf Car, E-Z-GO and Jacobsen all have new utility vehicles coming out this summer, and both John Deere and Kubota will unveil plans for new vehicles this fall. Toro said it will add an electric version of its Workhorse utility vehicle line in early 2004.

This spring, Club Car introduced the Carryall 272XL, Lesco rolled out its first utility vehicle and Polaris came to market with an entry-level product to fill out its line.

YAMAHA'S NEW LINE

A year after opening its $31 million manufacturing facility, Yamaha Golf Car (YGC) is set to introduce a new lineup of utility vehicles June 7. In a move to bring a consistent look across all

Yamaha product lines, the front end of the new vehicles sport an ATV-like flair.

“We are trying to match the family resemblance of Yamaha products, yet keep the identity of the utility vehicle,” said product development manager Joel Cheek. “The same people that style our motorcycles and ATVs style golf cars and utility vehicles.”

Behind the new look, the vehicle will feature two different suspensions, increased traction and ground clearance, heavy-duty bumpers and improved ergonomics and corrosion resistance.

According to Cheek, Yamaha’s new factory played a large role in the development of the vehicle.

“Before the new factory the G21 was largely hand-assembled,” he said. “With the new factory we can build down the line, which gives us flexibility and cuts production costs. The system enables us to build more customized vehicles. The first factory was one size fits all.”

E-Z-GO AND JACOBSEN REVAMP VEHICLES

Both E-Z-GO and Jacobsen are on the cusp of releasing new utility vehicles as well. On the E-Z-GO side they will be called the MPT 800, 1000 and 1200 (see GCN Feb. 2003). On the Jacobsen side, they will be called the Hauler 800, 1000 and 1200. The 800 series will come in both electric (36V) and gas versions (9-hp), the 1000 has a 48V motor, and an 11-hp engine powers the 1200. The 1000 and 1200 models will have a polyethylene bed with inserts for tie downs and racks.

Jacobsen will also offer the Hauler 4800 with a 16-hp engine. “The 4800 has a stronger chassis, a locking rear differential, bucket seats, full suspension and high ground clearance,” said Jacobsen product manager Larry Jones.

The new vehicles will be introduced sometime this summer.

JOHN DEERE SET FOR FIRST REDESIGN SINCE 1992

John Deere’s current Gator utility vehicle line was introduced in 1992 and is about to see its first major facelift according to David Thorne, group brand marketing manager for utility vehicles.

“We would like to refresh the platform and give it a bit more performance orientation,” he said. “That’s what we will be showing dealers this fall. It will be the largest introduction that John Deere has had for the utility vehicle lineup since its inception.”

While Thorne would not discuss the specifics of the new product line, he said the vehicles will offer more in terms of attachments and creature comforts.

“Customers are beginning to expect more and more from the machine,” he said. “The typical customer buys them and then finds more uses for them. The more experience the customer gets with the category, the more they look for attachments and things to help them work more effectively.”

KUBOTA TO ENTER UTILITY VEHICLE FRAY

Kubota Tractor Corp. will enter the growing market segment this fall with its first utility vehicle.

“We will release the product at our dealer meeting in October,” said Kubota spokesperson Pat Carroll. “It will have a dump bed and will be powered by a diesel engine because that is what we do best.”

Carroll said the vehicle will be geared to both the golf and commercial markets.

TORO TO ROLL OUT E-WORKMAN

With electric utility vehicles making up an increasing portion of the marketplace, Toro will be adding a mid-duty E-Workman powered by a 48V system early next year.

“I think there is a trend to electric vehicles,” said Neil Borenstein, senior marketing manager. “It is our first electric utility vehicle. One of the customer demands is for quiet operation so they don’t have to stop for play. The other issue is emissions. We work hard to make sure our products fit our customer’s needs, so we are always in touch with customers to make sure we develop the correct products.”

CLUB CAR EXTENDS THE 272

ne of this spring’s new offerings is Club Car’s Carryall 272XL, which offers an extended six-foot cargo bed.

“This car builds off the success of the Carryall 472 which had seating capacity for four,” said Ben McElmurray, regional sales manager for Club Car. “Customers liked that vehicle but wanted one with two-passenger capacity and a six-foot bed.”

The 272 XL is powered by a 400 cc, 13-hp Kawasaki engine and can carry 1,300 pounds. It also offers higher ground clearance, bigger tires and an aggressive stance.

“This is the biggest one we have ever made,” said McElmurray. “It has a larger engine and a locking differential which gives superintendents more power to move things around the course.”

LESCO ADDS VEHICLE TO LINEUP

Lesco has added to its product line with the introduction of two new mid-duty utility vehicles. The Ground Tamer GT642 is a six-wheeled vehicle and the GT422 is a four-wheeled vehicle both featuring fully independent suspension. The vehicles are made for Lesco by MTD/Cub Cadet.

“Our customers need something like this and this is a section of the marketplace that we want to be a part of,” said product manager Brett Linden. “Our accessories fit on it as well, so it is a good part of our product mix.”

The GT642 is powered by a 20-hp Honda engine, offers four-wheel-drive, and can haul 1,400 pounds. The GT422 is a two-wheel-drive vehicle powered by an 18-hp Honda engine.

POLARIS FILLS OUT PRODUCT LINE

Polaris entered the utility vehicle market with a big splash last year with two high-powered models. Polaris rounded out the model line this year with the introduction of the UTV 1500 2x4 that is equipped with an 18-hp engine and has a 1,250-pound payload capacity.

Polaris’ Tony Wixo feels the 2x4 will be more applicable for golf course use.

“This fills in the low end of the line and takes the price leader point out to golf courses,” said Wixo. “It is an economic 2x4 suited toward a golf course application.”

Utility vehicles are a hot product category in the golf market as of late. New entrants and new products continue to abound and rumors of new players, such as Honda, entering the market are plentiful. With competition among manufacturers at an all time high, one thing is for sure; superintendents have plenty of utility vehicles to choose from.