BRP Wins “Best of the Best” Red Dot Design Award for Ski-Doo Freeride
Haters like to say the Ski-Doo Gen4 looks like a whale shark, but the judges of the Red Dot Awards think differently, having presented the Ski-Doo Freeride with the international design competition’s “Best of the Best” award.
Cool, but what does that mean?
To consumers, a design award may mean something, or it may mean nothing. Does it have any impact on the actual desirability a of mountain snowmobile for your average rider?
Probably not.
Snowmobilers tend to foster their own notions about different models of snowmobile, and it’s safe to say that most riders have a strong preference (or bias in some cases) for one brand over others.
In the same way that a country music fan isn’t likely to go out and buy the lastest Nas album just because it took home the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album this year, a lifelong Polaris owner isn’t likely to walk into a Ski-Doo dealership and ask to see the sled that won that Red Dot award, regardless of how prestigious it might be considered by some.
But music lovers in general should be able to appreciate what a Grammy win says about how people who know and understand music appreciate a particular piece of work, and the same should hold true for sledders.
Yes, that statement is tempered by the likelihood that the Red Dot judges have never thrown a leg over a mountain sled in their lives. But surely they do know a thing or two about design, and a win at a respected international design competition absolutely says something about the quality of thought and planning that went into a product design such as the Ski-Doo Freeride. It’s the effort and attention to detail by the designers and engineers at BRP—who actually do shred—that make a big impact on how sleds like the Freeride perform and hold up over time.
So say what you want about the way it looks (Editor’s note: I like it), but product design is so much more than just visual appearances and BRP deserves to be proud of the recognition of the thought and effort the company and its employees have put into the development of the Gen4 platform and the Ski-Doo Freeride.
– MS
For more on BRP’s wins at the Red Dot Awards product design competition, see the press release from BRP below.
Valcourt, Quebec (May 17, 2021) – BRP is kicking off the year on a high note with four prestigious recognitions at the Red Dot Awards, including none other than the Best of the Best award—the highest distinction in the competition—for the Ski-Doo Freeride. Through its ingenuity, creative design, and its dedicated team members, BRP proved that it is always possible to push the limits and exceed expectations.
The jury was impressed by the “extreme reduction is what characterizes the design of the Ski-Doo Freeride and thus fundamentally changes the perception of this type of vehicle. With its slender proportions and striking purist bodywork design, the snowmobile projects both the notions of light weight and power. This lends it a strong visual identity as an extreme sports vehicle. Good maneuverability, performance and reliable handling merge for an impressive riding experience.”
“It is a true honour to receive such distinction that is commensurate with our hard work. This prestigious award reflects the team effort and BRP’s passion and expertise to exceed customer and industry expectations. We are looking forward to 2021 since we have a lot of exciting projects to come. Our teams will continue to push the limits of innovation to deliver market-shaping products and we are confident that we will outdo ourselves once again this year.” said Denys Lapointe, Senior Vice-President, Design, Innovation and Creative Services at BRP.
Last year, BRP earned 13 design awards for its innovative products. With this great start to the year, we are looking forward to what 2021 will bring!
More Red Dot Awards
BRP was also recognized with three other prestigious recognitions for the Sea-Doo RXP-X, Ski-Doo LinQ Sleigh, and the Ski-Doo Skandic Wide-Track.
From pure design and high performance to rider-friendly attributes and an exceptional mix of function and ease of use, here are the jury’s thoughts, in their own words, about each award-winning product.
- Sea-Doo RXP-X
“With its user-centric design, the Sea-Doo RXP-X offers optimal stability and promises to be great fun to drive.
- Ski-Doo LinQ Sleigh
“Its high level of functionality and well-thought-out details make the Ski-Doo LinQ Sleigh convenient to use and a practical solution for transporting gear.”
- Ski-Doo Skandic Wide-Track
“These snowmobiles successfully combine a sporty look with dynamic driving behaviour and flexibility in use.”
About the Best of the Best Award
The extremely selective Red Dot Best of the Best award is awarded to products that truly stand out, from customizable features to ground-breaking design and aesthetics that elevate a product from ordinary to exceptional. This prize is reserved for the best products in a category and is the highest award in the competition.
About the Red Dot Awards
The Red Dot Awards in Product Design focus, among other things, on the design quality and innovation potential of the products submitted. The laureates of these awards are cutting-edge products that set trends and pave the way for the future. Red Dot’s panel of approximately 40 experts carefully evaluates each product to choose those that merit the distinction.
