Snow vehicles were introduced by Polaris in 1956. From its earliest utility snowmobiles to modern high-performance lines, all have been designed with rear track drive and front ski(s). The first was named Sno-Traveler and used Kohler or Hirth engines ranging from 8hp to 15hp. Later in 1979 the Sno-Runner was introduced as a lightweight snow bike with a Sachs 134cc 2-stroke engine and automatic transmission. In 1980 Polaris introduced the Indy Series, evolving from basic models with 2-stroke belt drives to modern version engines with power outputs up to 180hp. Throughout its history, Polaris has led the way in snowmobile innovation, maintaining the combination of rear-wheel drive, ski-steer, and CVT transmissions across all models.