We weren’t terribly surprised when Belassi failed to meet the advertised “full media reveal” of its watercraft lineup yesterday, April 4th. Instead, the Dealer Meeting that was held in Belassi’s Linz, Austria headquarters welcomed representatives from across Europe to tour the facility, be present for a full presentation and personally look over the brand’s soon-to-be-released super-runabout. And although guests were sworn to secrecy regarding the information shared, several individuals have chosen to forgo any non-disclosure agreements and leak out more info and snapshots of the new machine than Belassi would have liked.
What has been leaked is nothing short of impressive. The new runabout – rechristened “Burrasca” (meaning “storm at sea” or more appropriately, “squall” in Italian) from its previous “B3R” moniker – makes extensive use of high end materials, most notably boasting high quality carbon fiber parts made by the same factory employed by Lamborghini for the same purposes. The brake/reverse bucket, rear passenger grab rail, forward and rear fairings, and several items reveal carbon fiber being used throughout – both inside and outside. This only lends itself further to the company’s ambition of making a supercar-inspired PWC.
The cockpit is equally as tantalizing, with a surprisingly narrow saddle, pinched heavily at the knees and only flairing out before the very deeply-scalloped driver’s seat. Despite the size (the Burrasca is said to be slightly longer than the Sea-Doo RXP-X’s 130.6-inches), the bench very clearly is intended for a maximum of two riders. The high definition, all-digital dashboard display is believed to feature GPS navigation, as well as superior engine and real-time performance tracking. In addition to a digitally-controlled brake and reverse system, the Burrasca was said to also include electronic trim tabs only adding to its race-readiness.
Beneath the seat is a turbocharged 1.6-liter 3-cylinder four-stroke powerplant pressing out an impressive 333-horsepower. Although unchanged since its first reveal while under the “B3R” nameplate, the turbo and the plumbing arrangement has undergone several revisions after hours of extensive testing by prototype pilot, Hungarian György Kasza. The exhaust is notably plumbed through a quartet of polished exhaust tips, which may or may not survive into full production. Those in attendance at the dealer demonstration were entreated to a display of the Burrasca’s abilities. The ski’s narrow seat and deep footwells provided the rider an optimal position and superior control of the craft.
Yet, beyond the machine’s ability to remain solidly planted in waves or chop, was the blistering top speed. From the factory, Belassi is adamant to offer the public a 72-knot, or 83mph capable craft directly from the factory. And even at those speeds, reports are that the Burrasca remains firmly planted and free of cavitation no matter the speed. Free of USCG (United States Coast Guard) regulations, Belassi is able to offer a completely untethered machine. Whether a speed-capped Burrasca will ever see the light of day in America remains a totally different subject.
Nevertheless, it is understood that Belassi will conduct a worldwide launch now in late April, with an expectation of production units arriving on showroom floors in early May. Obviously, something of this magnitude is certain to turn quite a few heads, both on and off of the race course (We’ve been told that Kasza himself will be racing a Burrasca in Pro Stock Runabout classes, reserving his turbocharged Sea-Doo for the Open and GP classes), and it will be exciting to see what becomes of this machine. Both the UIM and IJSBA has approved the model as per Belassi. Priced at €35,000 Euro (or $37,325), it is unabashedly priced for supercar status as well.
Additional images taken from the Nautica Promarina Facebook page.
3 cylinder engine? It looks SeaDooesque. Is it made in the Rotax plant?
4 pipes on the back? Just for looks? Turbocharged?