Hydrospace SR 4 Jet-Ski
In the beginning of 2005, the Austrian Jet-Ski manufacturer Hydrospace HSR contacted swissauto wit the intention of implementing the Weber MPE750 engine into their new stand-up jet-ski, adjusting the engine and drive assembly as well as developing a race version and a production version.
At that point of time, swissauto has actually retired from high end world class racing, but the chance to get the MPE 750 engine into HSR production (in case of victory) has turned our mind around.
In collaboration with HSR, subsequently the world’s first 4-stroke stand-up jet-ski has been developed at swissauto.
The main development was performed onto the driveability, surrounded by the problematic nature of packaging and very strict weight balance.
Especially for the high powered Formula 1 class, with their long time established 2-stroke engines, the MPE 750 had to be turbocharged to be competitive.
Compared with other types of racing vehicles, jet-skis do need the best engine response of them all. The engine must be very responsive and linear to the rider’s throttle commands to allow effective acceleration out of slope angles .
Therefore, swissauto WENKO AG has developed an “Anti Turblag System” which enables that specific demand.
After a short developing- and testing phase of only 4 months, the first European Championship Race was done at Wörthersee. A very high-classy range of participants was at the start; well known and long established companies as Yamaha and Kawasaki sent their professional team riders, supported by their Pro-Team mechanics and technicians. HSR professional rider Chris MacClugage took a start with the brand-new Ski in class F1 and F3 (superstock and stock).
In F3 class, Chris MacClugage surprisingly won 2 out of 3 heats. Into the battle for victory in F1 class, he did not finish heat 1 due to a crash. In heat 2 he finished in 3rd position and in the last heat he fighted hard and took the victory at the finish line! This ensured the qualification for the World Championship Finals in Arizona, US, in autumn 2005 very surprising for all the compettitors.
After a period of intensive development, in September 2005 the first production-ski was delivered.
At the World Championship Finals in Arizona, HSR started in 4 classes and earned World Champion titles in 3 of them at the first go!
In 2006 and 2007 every race with HSR riders participating at the world finals ended with a HSR victory. swissauto WENKO AG has shown that years of experience in high performance sports can be transformed successfully into completely new environments. We are very proud of the reflecting, well deserved and hard fought 17 World Champion titles in only 3 years.
