Jan 28, 2020

The Volvo Penta team onsite to recieve the award (from left to right) Frank Abraham, Jan Wiese, Johan Inden, and Philipp Rossée.

Volvo Penta has been recognized at the German boat show – boot Dusseldorf. Presented at the prestigious Flagship Night within the category of European Powerboat of the Year 2020, the award recognizes the industry-leading features of Volvo Penta’s all-new aquamatic sterndrive. Introduced during 2019 as part of the company’s next generation D4/D6 propulsion system, the DPI drive further enhances Volvo Penta’s trademark easy boating experience. 

Technology behind the DPI 

The DPI drive has been designed to deliver enhanced performance, easier maintenance and greater reliability for boat owners. The new hydraulic clutch ensures a silent and smooth shifting, as well as slipping at low engine speeds, resulting in added maneuverability and higher comfort at slower boat speeds. The hydraulic clutch, together with electric steering – which is now standard for DPI – gives an improved joystick docking function. The DPI driveline now also comes with Dynamic Positioning System, which automatically maintains a boat’s heading and position, even during strong currents or windy conditions – ideal when preparing for docking. 

“Once again, Volvo Penta has set new benchmarks in drive technology. The hydraulic clutch of the DPI drive enables silent, low-wear shifting. In addition, the electric steering unit provides greater convenience and safety in practice,” explains BOOTE’s editor-in-chief Torsten Moench, summarizing the jury’s motivation for the award. 

Having an efficient driveline is an essential part of delivering outstanding boat performance, and necessary to provide an integrated ‘easy boating’ experience. Continuous innovation in driveline technology is a factor that Volvo Penta has taken to heart across its innovations over the years – with the new DPI driveline as the latest example. 

“This recognition reinforces our longstanding commitment to innovation in the boating industry,” says Johan Inden, President of Volvo Penta Region Europe. “We are in a technology revolution, and our innovation focus is to use the new technologies to further enhance the easy boating experience. At the same time, delivering power into the water in an efficient way continues to be a basic need for boating. Our new, future focused DPI delivers a winning combination of innovation and efficiency to enhance the experience for both present and future boaters.”