Kraftwerks Polaris RZR Pro R
Has More Power in All the Right Places
Words: Matthew McNulty
Photos: Logan Gallagher
A while ago we checked out the Kraftwerks KRX, which was a great addition of power and functionality to a UTV that needed it. With the Kawasaki KRX’s relatively high weight and anemic power, a boost from a supercharger provided changed the whole driving experience. But what happens when you take a model that no one would say is lacking in power, such as a Polaris RZR Pro R, and give it that same treatment?
The answer all depends on whether or not horsepower is your sort of “substance”. Debuting last year, the Pro R comes from the factory with a whopping 225 horsepower engine, enough to frighten the soft-top off a Miata. With all this power on tap from the factory, it is hard to imagine anyone driving a Pro R and thinking, “yeah, this needs more power…” But if anyone would have that bright idea, it’s the crew at Kraftwerks.
With its inline four-cylinder engine, the Pro R was something remarkably like what Kraftwerks has been doing for years, especially with Honda engines. So it’s no wonder that when given this engine, they were able to squeeze some serious performance out of it and add to an already formidable platform. With a target to make this RZR better all around with some added muscle, this supercharged Pro R certainly does the job.
What exactly do you get when one of the most capable models on the market meets Kraftwerks? You get the kind of performance that is eye-watering. A roughly 90-100 horsepower increase is no small amount on a vehicle that weighs in around 2000 lbs dry, giving a massive bump from the already awesome 225-horsepower N/A factory setup. With a rather lovely looking intercooler poking up behind the seats, it makes this setup a presence on the vehicle, even when you are just gawking at it.
Adding power to a chassis will almost always make the vehicle feel entirely different. Even with such a good starting point as the Pro R, having that additional get up and go under your right foot makes it feel downright fast. With a centrifugal supercharger, it retains the characteristics one wants in an engine for off-roading, with a nice linear power curve and a relatively simple system overall. Effectively, this Pro R is good for just about anything you can come up with when using a UTV, and is certain to make the trip a bit more thrilling.
Other additions include a lovely set of Method Beadlocks wrapped in 35” Maxxis Roxxzillas, which help keep this RZR planted and give it the traction you want for crawling or climbing dunes. These wheels and tires look great, especially on this Pro R with its aggressive body lines. A nice black paint over the rest of the vehicle lets some of the smaller details shine, namely a sizable intercooler and plumbing behind the seats. The intercooler almost teases what the rest of this UTV really is, with its relatively OEM look letting it fly under the radar a bit from a distance.
With the way this RZR sits on a nice black set of the Method Beadlocks, as well as how nice the Roxxillas look mounted on them, it really does look ready for anything. Personally, having always been a fan of how aggressive the Pro R model looks, the minimal changes to the exterior really let the OEM looks shine and give it the performance that it didn’t necessarily need—not that I would complain.
This whole setup retains the already great ground clearance and suspension travel from the Pro R’s OEM setup, with 16” to play with above the dirt and a good 27” of usable travel in the suspension. Throwing in a Rugged Radio completes the build and keeps communicating easy, which is especially nice when you will be moving this fast. Everything about this setup complements both the Pro R’s looks and its OEM performance.
Calling this Pro R a gateway drug would be severely underselling it. In reality, it’s what a hardened horsepower addict will need to get a thrill if they’ve been throwing boost into sub-1000 cc engines for the last few years. A power figure in the neighborhood of 240 at the wheels is just ludicrous, but it’s done so well and in a way that mimics the drivability of the factory model that it feels entirely too welcoming. You don’t really need the power, but this RZR will certainly make you want it. It feels like driving this for a while would make driving other SXSs just feel entirely too pedestrian, almost like it’s ruining what your expectations are.
Having a relatively basic level of supporting modifications puts the emphasis solely on the supercharger and performance of this RZR. Without anything too flashy to distract you from the real show under the hood, it still is very impressive with the power gained. It makes a great case for supercharging an SXS. Seeing how much there is to gain from just a single addition to this Pro R really makes one wonder why it isn’t even more common.
With KraftWerks’ relatively recent entry into the powersports market and a goal to become a household name in it, vehicles like this are certainly a strong step in that direction. Being able to add the kind of power superchargers provide onto a SXS refreshes the whole feel of driving it. With that comes a lot of opportunities for those looking to make more power without leaving behind the UTV they know and love. As for what Kraftwerks wants to add more of to this Pro R? They say it still needs more power. That just proves how addictive it gets, and how once you start chasing the horsepower itch you can never really stop, even if you already have a 240-horsepower Pro R.
The KRX that we last looked at from Kraftwerks felt like a ripe candidate for some aftermarket power. This Pro R sounds like a great candidate for virtually all the opposite reasons. With an already blistering set of factory-spec performance figures, Kraftwerks threw even more power into what was already one of the biggest engines in a SXS and is now ready to turn that loose to the masses. All of this is done with a supercharger kit that’s so nicely put together and installed that it looks like an OEM part. The only thing which truly sets it apart from the OEM model is just how absurdly powerful it is.
