CFMOTO new sport machine the Z Force Z10

[NIKAL]

I’ll start with a quick review of the specs. This car was unveiled a few weeks ago. This new car was designed in CFMOTO’s U.S Minnesota Corp design & engineering office. It will be manufactured in Mexico like Polaris & Can Am do.



Here are the basic specs on this new car.
-All new 3 cylinder DOHC turbo 998cc with 143 hp at 7750rpms & 100ft lb of torque at 7000 rpm’s.
-Bosch EFI fuel injection system.
-900 watt stator with ability to add an alternator kit.
-64 inches wide. 2 seat chassis 99 inch WB, 4 seat chassis is 128 inch WB.
-17 inches front wheel travel, 20 inches in the rear.
-5 lug wheels with 30 inch tires.
-Fuel tank capacity is 9.9 gallons.

There is only one trim level and both 2 & 4 seat cars get the same standard features. Some of these features are;
-Apple car play
-4500 lbs winch with synthetic rope.
-Fox QSE shocks with 3 way compression adjustment that is adjusted on the dash & Eibach springs.
-Suspension seats with seat heaters. Also the seats have cutouts for 4-5 point harnesses.
-12.3 inch RideSync touch screen display with steering wheel controls.
-Rear view camera

$19,999 for the two seater
22,999 for the four seater
1 Year Factory Warranty comes standard.

 

[NIKAL]

So at this weekends Sand Sport Show I was able to meet up and speak with the lead designer of the CFMOTO ZForce Z10. BTW CFMOTO is spelled in caps.

This car was the vision of CFMOTO founder and President Guogui Lai. To build this car Mr Lai knew he had to put the right team together in the USA to make this happen. Mr Lai is committed to the USA market and future of CFMOTO in North America. The people behind this first USA design project came from Polaris, Can Am & Arctic Cat. These people were apart of the Polaris XP Pro, Pro series, Ranger & Expedition. The people from Can Am were apart of the X3 and a few other Can Am models. This Z10 project took just over 3 years to get to where we are today. (A side note about CFMOTO is they have been building motorcycles for KTM and just last year CFMOTO signed an agreement with Yamaha to build small engine motorcycles for the Asian market.)

Here was the original sketch of the Z10

I was shown some of the process and a full sized clay model was created. It was impressive to see a picture of this. Sorry I was not allowed to take or share pictures of this, but I hear they might be releasing a cool video showing some of this. Another very cool part of the process I was told was the development of the rear radiator was very complex. It would have been way easier to just put the radiator in the front, but that did not fit the vision. To R&D the rear radiator they actually bought a X3 as the X3 wheelbase and rear packaging was similar. They built there rear radiator cooling package and used the X3 as a test mule. This also allowed them to test in more places in plain view and yet not attract attention. I was told some of the different locations that the top brands do their testing, and in many cases current model cars are used with R&D parts on them. But it’s not common to use another brand car to build and test your parts with. But it was brilliant as it saved a ton of time and money. They did not have to build a car to see if the concept was viable. I thought this was pretty awesome.

The chassis is a full welded chassis with double shear suspension mounting points. I’m told that Polaris is still hand welding most of their chassis. CFMOTO is fully robotic welding theirs like Speed for a more consistent weld and penetration. Looking under the front hood I could see how the main chassis and upper shock mounts are properly tied in together. (Sorry I forgot to get a picture of it!!) The upper roll cage is 2 inch tubing. I asked tube thickness, and they shy’ed away from answering the question, but I was shown a preproduction wiring hole in the upper cage that won’t be in the production car, and from what I could see and feel, I’m guessing it was .083? It was thicker than what Polaris & Can Am are using, (Might be the same as the Pro R?) The 2 seat upper roll cage is one piece and the 4 seat is two pieces, but only has 2 roof connectors. The cage corner gussets are all fully welded tube. Not riveted & stitch welded like Can Am or stitch welded plate gussets like Polaris is doing on their sport machines. This was something they made a big point to do, and was pointed out to me a few times.



This same 3 cylinder engine is also being used in their new UForce U10 model utility UTV, but is non Turbo’ed. It’s producing 100hp, and from what it sounds like this engine is more than capable of producing more power. My guess is 30% in a N/A form? In the Z10 platform this engine is turbocharged, but is using a very low boost, and does not have an inner cooler. This is producing 143 HP. I’m told this tune & boost is very conservative and this engine has allot more to go. When I asked about reliability as past cars have not been known to be top contenders. It was first pointed out that CFMOTO actually has a good reputation for its engines, thus why KTM & Yamaha are using them. But that this engine, they are very confident in and they see it being a great foundation engine like the Rotax 999 has been in the Can Am X3. Also CFMOTO is so confident in their product they are giving you a 1 year factory warranty.






I have circled where the alternator kit would bolt in. The Stator cover would be removed with a new cover and pulley. I believe there would be a cover shielding it from debris.



Looking at the suspension, comparing it to a Pro Turbo or Pro R is small. But this is a 64 inch wide car. Comparing it to other 64 inch cars it’s more robust in size and uses stamped plates welded up. Also the lower are is arched for increased ground clearance.


The steering rack is on the back side of the front suspension, but for a 64 inch it looks big. I’m betting this is so it’s ready for a 72-74 inch wide car. The tie rods are big and the rack looks very much like a X3 rack. I’m told it’s not a direct swap, but I’d bet Shock Therapy could modify their X3 rack to fit this car. Maybe just a new housing to line up the mounting points?


Shocks are 2.5 and are called QSE. This is very similar to the 3 position Fox QS3 shock that you would find on the Polaris RZR or the Wildcat XX, but I’m told the compression adjustments between the 3 setting is increased and much more noticeable between soft & firm. The Z10 is the first to have this and the first to be able to adjust from the cab on the fly. So not a true smart shock, it is electric adjusted. This is also the only production UTV that comes with Eibach springs. (I’m told this could change to another manufacturer in later releases, as using Eibach is a big expense, but if they did switch they would want the same quality would just not a brand name. I’m thinking like Shock Therapy does with getting outsourced springs.

 

[NIKAL]

The rear suspension is a 4 link design, using a Polaris/Can Am style rear trailing arm, but the toe link is very different then the other two. Plus they changed up the axle design. The inner CV plunges, but then they let the center of the axle plunge too. This is similar to what you would see on the Arctic Cat XX. Time will tell how this all works, but it allows them 20 inches or rear wheel travel out of a 64 inch wide car. Will be interesting to see what they might do to a 74 inch car??


Now I started asking about the drivetrain & CVT. I thought I heard they were partnering up with Team Ind. which does Polaris’s drivetrain and CVT. I was told this was incorrect. This is being designed & manufactured in house, by a special team that just does drivetrain, and it was suggested it more resembles what you might see in a X3 vs a Polaris. The clutch uses a 6 spider roller, for strength and smoother operation. Again it was compared to the Can Am P-Drive and not a Team Ind production or design. The CVT has really good cooling ducting with the primary and secondary each having their own inlet and exhaust ports. I’m told the CVT cover we are looking at has a few improvements on the final production, which has improved the cooling a few more degrees. When I asked what the temperature of the CVT is running at. He said we like to see numbers in the 160 range with a max of 200 in maybe some slow hard rock crawling areas. But in testing they were able to quickly reduce the temperatures. They are very satisfied with what they have designed.

 

[NIKAL]

Looking at the fit & finish in person, the car looks really good. This does not look like a previous CFMOTO designed car. I’m told that the reason is this car and all future CFMOTO products for North America will be designed, engineered, marketed right here in Minnesota. Also everything will be manufactured in Mexico just like what Polaris & Can Am are doing. CFMOTO might be Chinese owned, but the U.S. market is truly U.S run.

Something interesting. Most 4 seat UTV’s are just a stretched 2 seat model, which this car is. But when it came to the body, to make the body lines right, the designers decided to not cut a corner and they made a complete new front doors, just for this model. Doing this was not a cheap investment as new drawings, tooling and molds had to be made. So the 4 seat truly has 4 spec’ed doors just for this model. This made the body lines flow as they should. Also all cars come with the basic prerun style bumper like on the black car. And the winch goes through the skid plate. The winch is mounted behind the grill above the differential.



The fuel cap is aluminum and mounted on the hood, and the fuel tank is similar to a Can Am. The aluminum cap was pointed out as a big deal because the other manufacturers would never let the designers spend the money on an aluminum gas cap, they would shoot it down instantly. But they were able to do it and it was a symbol they could really design somethings they way they wanted too.


The rear radiator exhaust grill work
The doors are very nice and solid mounted. They use two hinges and to get the doors to open & close and line up was allot of work, but the effort made for a very sturdy door, that also has a rubber seal along the bottom of the door, not shown on this preproduction car.

Rear leg room is not as much as a Pro, X3 or KRX it’s more then the XP series, Hondas or Speed. At 6ft you have enough leg room, and you could gain more if the driver did not put the seat all the way back. I actually liked the front seat one to two clicks forward. The front leg room is excellent and you aren’t shifting your legs to the side due to the dead pedal. And the seats are very, very comfortable. Of course we don’t know long term the quality of the foam or breakdown. But I could see the aftermarket seat company’s making specialty bottom seat cushions, as those are removable. The front seats also come standard with seat heaters.

 

[NIKAL]

The dash layout is different and probably closer to the Segway Villain UTVs with its digital dash behind the steering wheel and large touch screen in the middle of the dash. It’s like something you would see in your passenger car. And we the licensing agreement to have Apple CarPlay, they had to meet Apples requirements and the screen speed & resolution had to be to there spec, again like your automobile. They are also very proud of the switches and arrangement. They are not fans of the marine rocker switches. They did add two knockouts in the center console for accessories that might require a rocker switch. They also leave a few more plug & play switches in the car ready for your accessories.



I really liked the passenger grab handle, it looks like the Polaris Pro series and is easy to adjust and locks firm. I could see accessories like a Garmin GPS getting mounted off the handle, but then again you have Bluetooth and CarPlay. You might not need another gps unit.

Here is your head light switch controls. Circled are the two aux switches ready for your aftermarket light bars.

Something else pretty cool. The steering has 3 setting for steering ease and feedback. Some like a soft easy turn and some like a more firm steering. This is all adjusted via the steering wheel and dash

 

[NIKAL]

Something else they are doing different, or like Speed is they moved the turbo to the back side of the engine to reduce heat and noise.

Here is the bottom side of the radiator. It looks like its design also helps push air out from under the bed and across the turbo.


Regarding brakes, I was told they were very good, and they were very happy with the motion ratio of the brake pedal. Speaking of pedals. I was told to sit in the car and push the gas pedal. When I did the pedal was pressed down and my heal did not move or slide forward. They designed the pedal motion to move without your foot or heal having to move, which helps with fatigue. Some UTV’s with hanger pedals you have to push your foot forward as you are pressing the pedal because of its location and pivot. These are details this team learned from the years spent at Polaris, Can Am etc..

Now for the things I did not like. Right off the batt, I did not like the fact I don’t see a place or how to cleanly mount a radio & Intercom. I feel like that was a huge mistake and I could see this discouraging someone from buying it. Especially in the South West as we all buy better seatbelts, and we add radios & comms. During my discussion it was said they could in the future add a radio and comm unit module behind the dash and you control it from you center touch screen. It was said this would be a fairly easy implementation once the module is designed. It just software at that point.

The next thing I did not care for was how small the rear storage was. It was Yamaha YXZ small. They do offer a spare tire mount, but like Polaris & Can Am, it sits pretty high up. And because the radiator vents out in that storage tray, I’m not sure I’d want a cooler or storage box mounted there. I can’t see drinks staying cold, and I’d be concerned with blocking air flow.


I also like & dislike how they get air to the radiator. Coming from the sides of the body, allows the ability to use a windshield, but I’d also be worried about it getting blocked with dirt or debris. But my concern could be wrong and only time will tell us.

Now some other cool info. First off I forgot to
mention this Z10 should hopefully be available to purchase in the first of the year. They hoped to have it in dealers already, but a few small improvements like the improved CVT cover, and some of the texture patterns in the dash & door panels were fixed or improved, cause a slight delay.

CFMOTO is not done with just this new machine. I’m told it’s just beginning. They have a release schedule to release a new vehicle every six months. This could be a motorcycle, ATV, UTV or something. And with everyone wanting a wider (72-74 inch) wide car and more power. I’m speculating we might just see that by this time next year if not sooner?

Also being this team is so experienced and came from the top other brands, I’m thinking we are going to see some very cool, and more affordable models to compete with the top brands in all categories. There new UForce U10 with enclosed cab, AC and King Ranch style upholstery is directly competing with the Ranger or Defender, but at a fraction of the cost. I could see them going into the “Expedition” market with a twist. Remember some of these guys designed those machines a few years ago. I was told it’s strange to see the Z10 coming out as that was so 3 years ago for these designers and engineers. While they are excited to see the first of many finally coming to market, they are currently working on what we will see from CFMOTO in 2027. I’m told to watch out as they are coming with some cool stuff, and CFMOTO is ready to play with the big boys in the industry.

 

[Carrot chaser]

There's a lot there to like with these machines. I'll definitely take a step back though and wait until there are some cars out with real world miles on them. I already fell for buying into a 1st yr vehicle once only seeing 5 mph rumble strip and mud puddle "torture" testing. I'd rather throw my money in the camp fire than do that again.

 

[NIKAL]

There's a lot there to like with these machines. I'll definitely take a step back though and wait until there are some cars out with real world miles on them. I already fell for buying into a 1st yr vehicle once only seeing 5 mph rumble strip and mud puddle "torture" testing. I'd rather throw my money in the camp fire than do that again.

Without a doubt with a first year model there is always the unknown or potential unforeseen issues. Like you I’m in the same boat with buying the vision of another brand that has struggled to get going.

But with regards to this new Z10 machine vs the other new company & car that you’re talking about. This company is not new, they have produced dozens of models including ATV’s and Motorcycles, and they work with KTM & Yamaha. CFMOTO also owns the factories that will be making the car. It was said their US office in Minnesota has well over 100 employees & growing, working on just supporting the U.S. market. And allot of those employees came from Polaris, Can Am, Arctic Cat etc.. The designers and engineers that designed the Z10 are the same people who designed the top Polaris & Can Am models. So hopefully they know what works the first time. M Also the companies infrastructure is already established and staffed. They have a dealer network and everything that goes along with that.

This new Z10 is definitely a huge leap for CFMOTO, but I think they are in a way better position to make it happen vs the other brand. But only time will tell, and I believe some will be cautious buying another first model performance machine.

 

[John]

Fabulous pictures and the details in the article are as good as any magazine. I think you missed your calling.

 

[Green Tom]

There's a lot there to like with these machines. I'll definitely take a step back though and wait until there are some cars out with real world miles on them. I already fell for buying into a 1st yr vehicle once only seeing 5 mph rumble strip and mud puddle "torture" testing. I'd rather throw my money in the camp fire than do that again.

Without a doubt with a first year model there is always the unknown or potential unforeseen issues. Like you I’m in the same boat with buying the vision of another brand that has struggled to get going.

But with regards to this new Z10 machine vs the other new company & car that you’re talking about. This company is not new, they have produced dozens of models including ATV’s and Motorcycles, and they work with KTM & Yamaha. CFMOTO also owns the factories that will be making the car. It was said their US office in Minnesota has well over 100 employees & growing, working on just supporting the U.S. market. And allot of those employees came from Polaris, Can Am, Arctic Cat etc.. The designers and engineers that designed the Z10 are the same people who designed the top Polaris & Can Am models. So hopefully they know what works the first time. M Also the companies infrastructure is already established and staffed. They have a dealer network and everything that goes along with that.

This new Z10 is definitely a huge leap for CFMOTO, but I think they are in a way better position to make it happen vs the other brand. But only time will tell, and I believe some will be cautious buying another first model performance machine.

You guys can say Speed. Or is this a "He who must not be named" type of deal? Did I just break a rule?

 

[NIKAL]

You guys can say Speed. Or is this a "He who must not be named" type of deal? Did I just break a rule?

You can say it. I just chose not to as I did not want this to become a bash Speed thread and prefer to focus on the CFMOTO Z10 topic. Hopefully people who find this site and are looking at a CFMOTO, or did not know about CFMOTO will appreciate the info and not lose interest if the topic was to go another direction. I also don’t see the comparison as CFMOTO has an established history with everything from staff, manufacturing and dealer support all set & in play. They have not been a tier 1 brand, but from what I see and what I heard, I feel that’s where they are heading and want to be.

 

[Carrot chaser]

You can say it. I just chose not to as I did not want this to become a bash Speed thread and prefer to focus on the CFMOTO Z10 topic. Hopefully people who find this site and are looking at a CFMOTO, or did not know about CFMOTO will appreciate the info and not lose interest if the topic was to go another direction. I also don’t see the comparison as CFMOTO has an established history with everything from staff, manufacturing and dealer support all set & in play. They have not been a tier 1 brand, but from what I see and what I heard, I feel that’s where they are heading and want to be.

Did you get any info on when these should be available? If the first runs don't have too many problems I'd definitely be on board for the wider model when it's released.

 

[NIKAL]

Did you get any info on when these should be available? If the first runs don't have too many problems I'd definitely be on board for the wider model when it's released.

No I don’t have any definite dates. It sounded like dealers could see cars in December, but then I read someone else stating that their dealer can’t place an order until December? But I was told be the engineer that orders were taken at the dealer show. So were those just verbal commitments or dealers agreeing to purchasing X amount of units? I don’t know.

My guess is we might see cars on dealer floors by February, and maybe those top dealers, who also took preorders might get cars in January? This is only my guess? I have not personally reached out to any CFMOTO dealers to ask them if they have been able to place orders or when they expect to see cars.

 

[Green Tom]

I am definitely excited about the Z10. CFMOTO is really stepping up. It seems like great value for the price and a good bang for your buck. There are a lot of things I like about it but still some things I don't. You pointed out some of them. Doesn't seem like there is a good spot for radio and comms. The storage isn't really even storage so long trips isn't really an option. Besides that I wish it was wider and had some more horsepower. But I'm sure this is just the first step in a couple year plan.

As for it being a first model year I have more faith in this one than how the other is turning out. I'm sure it will have some issues once in the hands of the general public. They all do. But I don't think the Z10 will have the issues the Speed does. And CFMOTO is in a better position to work out issues.

I am heavily considering getting away from Speed for awhile and going this route. The Z10 doesn't check all my boxes but the price on this to get the family out enjoying something while I wait for something better is a major box right now.

 

[NIKAL]

So CFMOTO is having to postpone the release of the Z10. It sounds like they found a few issues they feel need to be resolved before they release it to the public. Sounds like a fall 2025 release date now.,