PRESS RELEASE
Corporate
The mtu brand: The first choice in luxury yachts worldwide
Posted on June 10, 2002
mtu is the most important brand worldwide in the market for luxury yacht propulsion systems.
Friedrichshafen - mtu is the most important brand worldwide in the market for luxury yacht propulsion systems. Together with its American partner, DDC (Detroit Diesel Corporation), the company holds a world market share of 56% for yachts of over 80 feet (around 25 meters). This strong market position is due largely to the fact that mtu engines are technologically leading and particularly efficient, which means that they deliver high performance despite their small size and lightweight design. In this respect they follow the same principles used in the design of Formula 1 engines.
Many spectacular yachts and record boats are equipped with mtu engines. For example the "Record!", a 24-meter racing yacht by the Italian ship designer Fabio Buzzi is powered by four 2000 series engines from mtu. These enable the yacht to reach a top speed of 62 knots, or over 110 km/h. In contrast to normal speed boats however, the yacht bunkers 28 tons of fuel and can sail over 1200 nautical miles (2,200 kilometers) on one tank. The "Record!" holds the records for the "Round Britain Challenge" and the Steigenberger Trophy (Monaco - London).
The legendary "Octopussy" by John Staluppy is powered by four sixteen-cylinder engines of the mtu 396 series and a gas turbine. Aga Khan's record yacht "Destriero" is also equipped with an mtu power system. Here, three LM 1600 gas turbines deliver 45,600 kW (62,000 hp) of propulsion power. The "Destriero" is still the holder of the "Blue Ribbon", the prize for the fastest Atlantic crossing (Southampton - New York). The prestigious yacht-builder Lürssen has been using mtu engines in their boats for many years. A current example is a 148-meter yacht equipped with four 20-cylinder engines from mtu's 8000 series. The yacht, which is still under construction, will thus have over 36,000 kW (around 50,000 hp) of propulsion power.
mtu engines are the first choice of the international yachting scene. Top shipbuilders worldwide use the company's engines. These include names such as Ferretti, Azimut, Oceanco, Feadship, Sunseeker, Benetti, Overmarine, Jongert, Guy Couach, Lazzara, Oceanfast, and the Rodriguez Group. The company's propulsion systems are to be found in both motor yachts and sailing yachts. For example the "Hyperion", built by Royal Huisman and owned by Netscape founder Jim Clark is the world's first sailing yacht with fully electronic steering, "Hyperion" is propelled when becalmed or in harbor by an mtu 2000 series engine. The owners of mtu-powered yachts include many prominent people, among them some for whom the feel of a powerful engine is a must, such as David Coulthard and Michael Schumacher, for example.
Propulsion systems for luxury yachts have a long tradition at mtu. Activities in this area go back to the days of Maybach-Motorenbau, which not only built luxury automobiles in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century, but was also already equipping luxury yachts with engines. Today the company offers nine different diesel engine series for yachts and 25 different power ratings ranging between 500 and 9,000 kW (700 -12,250 hp). Many of these are equipped with innovative common-rail injection technology which has now become the standard in the automobile industry. mtu has been using this injection system since 1996 and was the first heavy-duty engine manufacturer worldwide to introduce the common-rail system in series production.
Many spectacular yachts and record boats are equipped with mtu engines. For example the "Record!", a 24-meter racing yacht by the Italian ship designer Fabio Buzzi is powered by four 2000 series engines from mtu. These enable the yacht to reach a top speed of 62 knots, or over 110 km/h. In contrast to normal speed boats however, the yacht bunkers 28 tons of fuel and can sail over 1200 nautical miles (2,200 kilometers) on one tank. The "Record!" holds the records for the "Round Britain Challenge" and the Steigenberger Trophy (Monaco - London).
The legendary "Octopussy" by John Staluppy is powered by four sixteen-cylinder engines of the mtu 396 series and a gas turbine. Aga Khan's record yacht "Destriero" is also equipped with an mtu power system. Here, three LM 1600 gas turbines deliver 45,600 kW (62,000 hp) of propulsion power. The "Destriero" is still the holder of the "Blue Ribbon", the prize for the fastest Atlantic crossing (Southampton - New York). The prestigious yacht-builder Lürssen has been using mtu engines in their boats for many years. A current example is a 148-meter yacht equipped with four 20-cylinder engines from mtu's 8000 series. The yacht, which is still under construction, will thus have over 36,000 kW (around 50,000 hp) of propulsion power.
mtu engines are the first choice of the international yachting scene. Top shipbuilders worldwide use the company's engines. These include names such as Ferretti, Azimut, Oceanco, Feadship, Sunseeker, Benetti, Overmarine, Jongert, Guy Couach, Lazzara, Oceanfast, and the Rodriguez Group. The company's propulsion systems are to be found in both motor yachts and sailing yachts. For example the "Hyperion", built by Royal Huisman and owned by Netscape founder Jim Clark is the world's first sailing yacht with fully electronic steering, "Hyperion" is propelled when becalmed or in harbor by an mtu 2000 series engine. The owners of mtu-powered yachts include many prominent people, among them some for whom the feel of a powerful engine is a must, such as David Coulthard and Michael Schumacher, for example.
Propulsion systems for luxury yachts have a long tradition at mtu. Activities in this area go back to the days of Maybach-Motorenbau, which not only built luxury automobiles in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century, but was also already equipping luxury yachts with engines. Today the company offers nine different diesel engine series for yachts and 25 different power ratings ranging between 500 and 9,000 kW (700 -12,250 hp). Many of these are equipped with innovative common-rail injection technology which has now become the standard in the automobile industry. mtu has been using this injection system since 1996 and was the first heavy-duty engine manufacturer worldwide to introduce the common-rail system in series production.