Polaris

Polaris Ranger 02

7th Semester Project - Attack of the Gator Mule!

Polaris, known for their off road vehicles and snowmobiles was bitten and kicked in the butt at the same time! The Kawasaki Mule and the John Deere Gator created a market for themselves when they introduced a small two passenger vehicle that created a whole new market segment. Polaris reacted quickly by releasing the Ranger, which was basically their 6X6 off roader with and a roll cage. To surprise the industry the next time around, Polaris came to us to design the next generation Ranger.

It could use some help: I am smiling in the picture above not for the camera but because of pain. At 188 cm (6'2") I had to shoe horn myself behind the wheel. The view out of the Ranger was nice and airy. A look under the hood revealed minimal space and the battery. That was going to change

Appealing almost entirely to a male customer base (very male: hunters, farmers), the R2 had to have a meaner face. Using angular lines, I came up with this front end. After relocating the battery in the back, the front trunk gained in height and became lockable. The headlights saw a nice increase in size for front and side lighting, helpful in offroad situations.

The rear bed was in my opinion a waste of space, specially with a 800 lb payload. This drawing was inspiring as it showed a "Dakar" Ranger. What would you need in a baja race? Tools, medical supplies, spare tires, GPS tracking system, all of which could be stored in a nice compartment in the back. The final proposal kept the compartment idea but for more practical purposes.

This is the final proposal, made with yellow foam, scale 1/6. The features mentioned above were applied to this vehicle that would be an Ameritech repair vehicle for rough terrain, handy where power lines would be hard to reach for example.

To custom fit the R2, the compartment can be removed and a classic bed can be put in place. The roll cage got beefier, seats got bigger and were resting above two compartments, one of them a medical pack (as seen below).

R2-D2 or The Swiss Army Knife Ranger

This drawing explains it the best. The lower parts of the compartment are divided for where the heaviest payload would be, leaving the top compartment with gullwings. A neat feature is also the "electrical pack". By raising the compartment 3 inches, electrical outlets can be installed to power generators, to provide power and to house a docking station for a laptop. A carry away tool kit can be stored on the other side.

		7th Semester Project - Attack of the Gator Mule! Polaris, known for their off road vehicles and snowmobiles was bitten and kicked in the butt at the same time! The Kawasaki Mule and the John Deere Gator created a market for themselves when they introduced a small two passenger vehicle that created a whole new market segment. Polaris reacted quickly by releasing the Ranger, which was basically their 6X6 off roader with and a roll cage. To surprise the industry the next time around, Polaris came to us to design the next generation Ranger.

		It could use some help: I am smiling in the picture above not for the camera but because of pain. At 188 cm (6'2") I had to shoe horn myself behind the wheel. The view out of the Ranger was nice and airy. A look under the hood revealed minimal space and the battery. That was going to change Appealing almost entirely to a male customer base (very male: hunters, farmers), the R2 had to have a meaner face. Using angular lines, I came up with this front end. After relocating the battery in the back, the front trunk gained in height and became lockable. The headlights saw a nice increase in size for front and side lighting, helpful in offroad situations.

		The rear bed was in my opinion a waste of space, specially with a 800 lb payload. This drawing was inspiring as it showed a "Dakar" Ranger. What would you need in a baja race? Tools, medical supplies, spare tires, GPS tracking system, all of which could be stored in a nice compartment in the back. The final proposal kept the compartment idea but for more practical purposes.
		This is the final proposal, made with yellow foam, scale 1/6. The features mentioned above were applied to this vehicle that would be an Ameritech repair vehicle for rough terrain, handy where power lines would be hard to reach for example. To custom fit the R2, the compartment can be removed and a classic bed can be put in place. The roll cage got beefier, seats got bigger and were resting above two compartments, one of them a medical pack (as seen below).
		R2-D2 or The Swiss Army Knife Ranger This drawing explains it the best. The lower parts of the compartment are divided for where the heaviest payload would be, leaving the top compartment with gullwings. A neat feature is also the "electrical pack". By raising the compartment 3 inches, electrical outlets can be installed to power generators, to provide power and to house a docking station for a laptop. A carry away tool kit can be stored on the other side.