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Volvo Penta's muscular new D13-1000 is designed for larger cruising yachts.
With the marine engine horsepower wars unabated, it was inevitable. Volvo Penta has introduced its most powerful recreational marine engine — a 1,000-hp, 13-liter behemoth.
The new D13-1000 moves Volvo move into the 1,000-hp recreational marine engine market for the first time. The inboard engine and its equivalent from Volvo Penta's Inboard Performance System (IPS) range — the D13-IPS1350 — have been designed for the owners of larger yachts, up to 120 feet (if you're looking to move up).
"The engineering excellence and attention to detail of our design teams mean that we've created an engine with superior performance, comfort and reliability — taking it to the next level," says Johan Wästeräng, vice president for product management in the marine leisure segment at Volvo Penta. "Our aim is to help yacht owners realize their dreams and enjoy great adventures, whether that means having fun at high speeds or simply relaxing on board for longer before refueling. It's all part of our easy boating philosophy."
Volvo Penta's D13-IPS1350 is an integrated package that matches the new D13 engine with an upgraded IPS pod drive. When compared to a traditional inboard shaft engine installation, Volvo Penta IPS provides a longer cruising range, higher top speed, reduced fuel consumption and emissions, reduced vibration, and lower onboard noise levels. The configuration also allows for more space on board, according to Volvo.
The D13-IPS1350 package is available in twin, triple, or quadruple installation; the latter of these provides power to the equivalent of 5,400-hp.
The D13-IPS1350 has been field tested in a 68-foot yacht and its data compared to a 1,360-hp traditional inboard engine from a Volvo Penta competitor. Volvo says its unit was lighter with better displacement, used 36 percent less fuel, had faster acceleration and a higher top speed, and lower noise and vibration.
"With 36 percent better fuel economy, this means that our IPS package has a much greater cruising range than a typical inboard engine," says Björn Rönnvall, product manager for the marine leisure segment at Volvo Penta. "To put that into context, customers would be able to cruise from Miami to the Bahamas and back again on one tank of fuel."
If you're boat's not big enough for this monster power plant, you can at least get a taste of the life with this slick video from Volvo.