Vanguard Big Block selected as exclusive engine for 3 commercial mowers

SpartanMowerHDTA testament to Vanguard’s reputation for building best-in-class Big Block engines, two well-respected mower manufacturers recently announced they will power their top-tier ZTR mowers exclusively with the Vanguard air-cooled V-twin Big Block. Hustler Turf Equipment, part of Excel Industries, selected the Vanguard engines to power its Super Z HyperDrive and Super 104 commercial mowers, and Spartan Mowers chose the same engines to drive its Spartan SRT XD.

“For two highly respected manufacturers to choose Vanguard Big Block engines to exclusively power their showcase mowers is, simply put, an honor,” said Randy Lockyear, senior director of commercial sales for Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power, maker of Vanguard. “Our Big Block continues to set the pace in terms of durability and power, and to see it on such great mowers only emphasizes its position as the go-to Big Block.”

Spartan Mowers, launched in October 2015 under the ownership and guidance of Robert Foster, has quickly taken the industry by storm. The Spartan SRT XD features front, middle and rear TecsPak elastomer dampening systems that provide an outstanding ride.

“When I started Spartan Mowers, I set out to build the best possible machine on the market,” Foster said. “We engineered it from the ground up, starting with soft, steel-belted radial tires. When it was time to pick our power source, I didn’t hesitate to go with the Vanguard Big Block. From the engine’s reputation to the personal service we get from the Vanguard team, it’s living up to the high standards I have for Spartan.”

Super104Excel Industries’ Hustler brand was first in the world to launch a zero-turn mower in 1964, and hasn’t looked back. Both the carbureted and EFI versions of Vanguard’s Big Block engine will be available on its top-of-the-line ZTR mowers.

Excel first began powering a number of its mowers with Vanguard engines after Adam Mullet, vice president of sales and marketing, saw it on a mud boat in Louisiana.

“Immediately, I knew that was an engine I needed on our mowers,” Mullet said. “If it could power a mud boat, handling all the gunk and water thrown at it, I knew it would master lawns and turf everywhere.”

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