This year, classic Italian boat builder Absolute is launching yet another Volvo Penta IPS-powered yacht, unveiling its second vessel in the Navetta series at this year’s Cannes Boat Show, September 8 to 13. Absolute, a supporter of Volvo Penta IPS since the beginning, says the system offers its customers room to breathe — the reason it continues to power its yachts with this innovative propulsion system year after year.

Ten years ago, Absolute took a leap of faith and, along with a small group of other boat builders, dared to believe that Volvo Penta IPS could completely change the face of modern leisure boating. It was a bold move but one that Absolute was certain would usher in a new age for the marine industry.

After launching at the London Boat Show in 2005, Volvo Penta IPS became an overnight success. Offering customers unparalleled value, the Inboard Performance System boasted an impressive list of advantages for boat builders and end users. During testing, the high-efficiency system proved to be 20% faster than conventional shaft drives, with 30% lower fuel consumption, 15% greater acceleration, 50% lower noise levels and fewer vibrations.

But there was one more important benefit that made Absolute sure this was the system that would set them apart from their competitors.

“What really captured our imagination was the space Volvo Penta IPS afforded,” says Cesare Mastroianni, sales manager for Absolute. “By using the Inboard Performance System, we could offer customers more comfort and more luxury. Volvo Penta IPS allowed Absolute to modify its interior design process and give end users more space inside the staterooms and living areas.”

Thanks to increased fuel efficiency, the engines could be downsized with no impact on performance. Smaller engines and a more compact engine room, coupled with engine relocation in the hull, instantly created extra space on board — something that couldn’t be achieved in a shaft line system using a conventional engine layout.

Volvo Penta IPS not only changed the way Absolute designed its yachts; the revolutionary system also changed the way end users interacted with the boat. By maximizing on board space, Volvo Penta IPS completely transformed the interior look and feel of the yacht. Offering more space; added comfort, due to fewer vibrations; and more precise handling, Absolute’s first launch with Volvo Penta IPS — the Absolute 56 STC — was an instant success. Unveiled at the Cannes Boat Show in 2006 and containing a triple Volvo Penta 1PS600 system, it was a revolutionary launch as it represented the first boat to ever to be fitted with a multiple installation.