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About Arctic Cat

Passion is Power

It can scale mountains. Turn a hard day’s work into a job well done. And, it can take a Minnesota-based snowmobile company from humble beginnings to one of the most inspiring names in powersports. At Arctic Cat®, we live for the unforgettable and strive for the impossible. Because when our passion for building precision-engineered machines meets your passion for exploring the outdoors, there’s nothing beyond reach.

Our History

We were born in the North, raised on snow and gravel, and we cut our teeth helping adventurers test their limits. And we still make our home on the great plains of Minnesota. Arctic Cat was formed by Edgar Hetteen in 1962, and transformed into a leading snowmobile, side-by-side and ATV manufacturer over decades of trail riding, racing and bringing friends and families together. Our community is tight-knit, passionate and proud. And we love being part of it.

In 2017, a new era in Arctic Cat history began when we joined the Textron Inc. family of brands, which includes Bell® helicopters, Cessna aircraft and more. Because of Textron's heritage of power, performance and precision engineering, the decision was made to change the off-road product brand from Arctic Cat to Textron Off Road.

As Textron Off Road, we released some of our most inspiring vehicles yet, including the highly anticipated Wildcat XX with its industry-leading suspension system. But as we listened to our loyal riders, it became clear that their passion for the Arctic Cat brand remained strong. That's why in 2019 we decided our off-road vehicles should carry the Arctic Cat name once again.

Today, the bulk of our manufacturing happens at our facility in Thief River Falls, MN, with trails in our backyard and the mountains just a day’s drive away. Our vehicles explore the world, but they all start with American workers and an American work ethic. Just one more reason we’re proud to stand behind every machine we make.

THIS IS TEXTRON

Learn about our parent company and some of its most powerful brands.