HSR-Benelli breaking new ground

Austrian company developing US strategy and sales structure

In 2007, the company formerly known as Hydrospace acquired Italian engine builders Benelli Motori. After changing its name to HSR-Benelli in October, the company began a significant rebranding process.

HSR-Benelli promised that its customers would see a number of different PWC models powered by Benelli Motori engines. At the Paris International Boat Show in December, the newly named company delivered on its word and revealed an entirely new series of personal watercraft.

Known for race-proven, one-person stand-up watercraft, HSR-Benelli changed gears with a new line of runabouts dubbed Series R. Four different three-seaters make up the Series R line, but it’s the Race Edition that has caught people’s attention.

Powered by an industry-first six-cylinder, 4-stroke engine, the Race Edition pumps out an incredible 2,196cc and a whopping 342 horsepower. To put that in perspective, of the four major PWC manufacturers, Sea-Doo currently leads the way with two vehicles that produce 255 hp.

The HSR-Benelli Series R Prestige also runs off the same V6, 4-stroke, 2,196cc power plant, but churns out a slightly more modest 278 hp.

For customers not looking for all-out power, the Naked Edition and Pro Edition are both powered by a 4-stroke, 1,098cc engine. The Naked Edition provides 142 hp, while the Pro Edition offers 172 hp.

With a new engine builder, a new name and a line of new vehicles in tow, the next step for HSR-Benelli is distribution. When the company was still known as Hydrospace, Riva Motorsports of Pompano Beach, Fla. was the exclusive US distributor and operated as Hydrospace USA. Late in 2007, however, HSR-Benelli took over control of US distribution.

When asked by PersonalWatercraft.com, the company would not discuss the specifics of its North American business strategy, but said it is planning a sales and after-sales structure. Once HSR-Benelli develops a dealer network, it will be interesting to see if the Series R Race Edition will be allowed to be sold in the United States.

Personal watercraft manufactures have a voluntary gentleman’s agreement with the US Coast Guard to not produce a stock vehicle that will exceed 65 mph. With so much horsepower, the Race Edition may need a limiter to restrict the top speed like those found on some motorcycles.