It’s often the details that make or break the overall design, and the first place we look is under the bodywork. There are some very creative engineering teams in the power sports business, but the new Commander Side X Sides showed exceptional work by the crew from Valcourt.
The new CAN-AM Commanders are more refined than many small cars. Details like sealed storage areas, easy to read gauges that pivot with the steering wheel, high quality controls, comfortable seats, and a leather wrapped steering wheel enhance the driver and passenger’s comfort; which is important at the speeds the Commander is capable of. We also really like the adjustable driver’s seat, the very secure seat belt style net latch and seat restraints, and how the cockpit wraps around the driver. Even the beefy, structural tube layout was designed for driver and passenger protection, but also to be out of the way; yet overall height is low enough to allow the Commander to fit into a standard height trailer. Finally, the Commander was also designed for easy maintenance, and under the front hood is an automotive style air filter. Underneath the skin, the chassis design is clean, well thought out, and the component and weld quality is excellent. As we said above, it’s the details that can make or break the design. The Commander is a highly refined, excellent example of a design that works as a total package. It’s the best example of engineering excellence of 2010. Fantastic job!
