Automotive

ARGO 8x8 XTI tackles the toughest lands (and waters) on Earth

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An ARGO XTI with available canopy shows off its water skills
The ARGO 8x8 750 HDi, shown tucked inside a Volkner Mobil RV at the 2013 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, serves as the powertrain base for the XTI
The XTI's steering handlebar quickly adjusts to whatever position is most comfortable for the driver
ARGO offers four and two track options
Storage in the rear
Launched earlier this year, the XTI is the latest ARGO amphibious vehicle
The 1,600-lb (725 kg) XTI is powered by a 30-hp engine
ARGO says the XTI is an extreme terrain vehicle
An ARGO XTI with available canopy shows off its water skills
The XTI makes its way across a river
The XTI keeps trucking through deep mud that would incapacitate lesser vehicles
The XTI is an all-seasons vehicle designed to work in snow and ice, as well as dirt and mud
View gallery - 11 images

Many vehicles claim to be "all terrain," but few of them can match the all-out, rove-over-anything capabilities of ARGO's line of 6x6s and 8x8s. The latest member of the amphibious family is the 8x8 XTI, a vehicle designed to reach the most remote worksites on Earth.

ARGO is the Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) line of Canadian company Ontario Drive & Gear Limited, one of the few manufacturers that can honestly claim to build vehicles for every type of terrain and condition on Earth ... and beyond. After more than 40 years of building off road vehicles for this world, the company has also turned its attention toward the development of a lunar rover over the past few years.

While ARGO's amphibious ATVs don't offer the speed or thrills of a Gibbs Quadski, they do tackle everything that you can imagine rolling a vehicle through: dirt, deep mud, rock, snow, ice ... and even water. Without any type of transformation, ARGO's amphibious models use their specially designed webbed tires to ford and swim through water at speeds up to 3 mph (5 km/h). Simply drive up to water's edge and keep right on going. For those looking for a more proper boating experience, an available outboard motor bumps those speeds up to 10 mph (16 km/h).

ARGO's vehicle line is designed to provide a comfortable middle ground between recreational UTVs and heavy work machinery. Its latest model, the 8x8 XTI introduced this summer, leans toward the work end of the spectrum. The new workhorse adds the amphibious capabilities and powertrain of the popular 750 8x8 HDi recreational ATV to its Centaur 8x8's rugged, versatile, industrial chassis. The Centaur is only capable of fording depths of 26 in (66 cm), but the XTI is fully amphibious.

The ARGO 8x8 750 HDi, shown tucked inside a Volkner Mobil RV at the 2013 Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, serves as the powertrain base for the XTI

At the heart of the XTI is a combination of fuel-injected, 31-hp 748cc V-Twin Kohler gasoline engine and triple-differential ADMIRAL steering transmission. This combination, which is connected to the eight axles via heavy duty drive chains, delivers up to 1,500 lb (1,000 lb on water) (680/454 kg) of workers and supplies to the most extreme, remote worksites.

The XTI has a sealed, vacuum-formed polyethylene lower body and 2-inch tubular upper frame built onto a 3-inch tubular steel chassis. The lower body is fully sealed to hold up to water crossings, and a skid plate, strategic approach and departure angles, and a 9-inch (22.9-cm) ground clearance protect from solid hazards. The wheeled version rolls on 25-inch low-pressure tires.

ARGO says that the XTI makes easy work of deep mud, flood zones, rock, snow and ice. It is available in two-track, four-track and wheeled varieties and can reach speeds up to 17 mph (27 km/h) on land and 3 mph in water, operating seamlessly in temperatures from -40°F to 104°F. The company is marketing the vehicle at commercial activities like utility maintenance, mining, and fire and rescue, and offers a variety of accessories and options to tailor it to the work at hand.

Launched earlier this year, the XTI is the latest ARGO amphibious vehicle

Inside, the ARGO XTI seats driver and passenger on a hinged, foam-padded front bench that sits atop a storage box. Either position can drive thanks to slide-adjustable, quick-lock handlebar steering and a central instrument panel. The XTI can be optionally outfitted with a rear bench to seat two more persons. The interior also includes two 12-volt outlets, cup holders, grab handles and dual glove boxes.

ARGO doesn't list pricing for any of its models, but interested parties can fill out a request form to get a quote. Those parties should also be sure to check out the manufacturer's YouTube channel, which shows its various 8x8 and 6x6 models being put through their paces on steep hills, water crossings, winter landscapes and more.

Source: ARGO

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6 comments
Milton
I wanna see one with some suspension!
Jay Finke
I'v had several 6x Argo's . they are fun, I'd jump in mine and catch air jumping it into my lake, I fished out of it, and sank it a few times, the tranny on these older ones are fragile. they are slow in water fast on land and the tires need to be reversed to work better in water.
Chris McLaughlin
Send me one of these for field trials and experimentation and I will get back to you on it after a while.
The Skud
Let's go hunting wabbits! Seriously though, if you can't get somewhere in one of these babies with the tracks, you probably don't to be there anyway. The only thing more jaw-dropping to see as a fishing platform would be that American amphibian full-size coach with highway speeds and full accommodation interior.
Satweavers
It's the coffin nail in pristine river beds. Giving jug heads the ability to shred ever more inaccessible natural settings with four-by big wheels, and now tank treads is not a good thing in my estimation.
Argo Utv
ARGO's "Tread Lightly" and do not damage the environment around them. We pride in protecting the land in all of it's natural beauty.