There may already be a big choice of farm buggies out there, but that hasn’t stopped Canadian maker BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) launching a new Can-Am model for the utility market.

Called the Defender – no relation to the Land Rover product of the same name – it finally gives the company a farm-friendly workhorse model.

See also: Can-Am pushes ahead with new models

Two Rotax v-twin engine petrol options are on sale, the 799cc 50hp HD8 is available in the base and DPS packages and the meaty 1,000cc 72hp HD10 is available with the XT package. Gearboxes now get a work-specific low gear and a belt protection monitor lets the driver know.

Equally, if the rider is in high gear when he should be in low gear, a message will appear on the dash. Can-Am Defender HD10 XT and HD8 DPS models come with a rear open diff and offer a four-mode traction system that lets you toggle between a 2×4 open rear, 2×4 lockable rear, 4×4 open rear and 4×4 locked diff for maximum traction (optional on the HD8 base). 

The engines are positioned behind the seat bench which the company says gives better handling, weight distribution and a cut in engine noise.

Suspension consists of a double A-arm at the front with 25cm of travel, while the rear trailing A-arms also give 25cm of travel. Overall ground clearance is 28cm, payload capacity is 680kg, towing capacity 907kg and fuel capacity is 40 litres.

The cargo box carries 454kg and has hooks on the sidewalls and several tie-down points. The tailgate can carry 115kg and can be removed quickly if you went to. There’s also a water-resistant toolbox and lots of under-dash storage. 

There’s room for three people on the bench seat and the seat can be flipped up to give more space in the cab.

Can-Am says the Defender is available with 55 accessories specifically designed for utility users.

Prices are £9,799 for the base Defender, £11,799 for the Defender DPS and £15,999 for the Defender XT, plus they come with a two-year limited warranty.

Can-Am UK currently has 19 dealers, with plans to increase that figure in the months to come.