Arctic Cat T660 Turbo, the unlikely cousin

 

( above : Cat' 160 K6A engine - credit Dino Dalle Carbonare/Speedhunters )

TL;DR snowmobiles go brrr, 110hp of brrr

I should write a post about the origins of the Suzuki-powered Caterham at some point, with the history of the japanese kei cars, talk about the Suzuki Cappucino micro sport car, the kei Jimny and the Super Carry kei-truck. They are literally the sources for the engine, gearbox and rear axle of the Caterham, in that order.

But it's way more interesting to get into the Arctic Cat territory as that thing would have Cappucino for breakfast. 

Even if the world of snowmobiles is completely alien to me, I came accross those machines when looking for documentation about high performance versions of the R06A and K6A engines that power the Caterham 170 and 160/165.

Launched in the early 2000s, the Arctic Cat T660 was a snowmobile revolution as it was using a 4-stroke engine. The engine in question was no other than an atmospheric version of the Suzuki K6A, it delivered 54hp.

In 2004 a turbo version was released. The Arctic Cat T660 Turbo added a custom turbocharger and intercooler, and produced a whopping 110hp. For comparison the Cappucino and the rest of the kei cars are limited to 64hp, the Caterham 170 is pushed to 84hp, with 80hp for the 160.

The lag (I read) was ridiculous, but the experience of the long spool-up followed by a high-rev climax was exhilarating. Twenty years later it is still regarded as reliable, and the beginning of a 4-stroke turbo craze. It is probably easier to reach such power levels with the cold air those machines roam in, but it is nonetheless an excellent reference point for what could be achieved, or what could be considered safe when tuning the engine of the 170. - After a talk with someone very knowledgeable, some caution might be required with the R06A as it is more efficient but maybe not as robust as the K06.

This video by SnowTrax TV goes in more detail about the history of the Arctic Cat lineup, showing the K6A engine easily recognisable as it is identical to the Caterham 160's. 

 

(below : Arctic Cat T660 Turbo K6A engine)