Honda Marine targets European market leadership by 2030: Vincenzo Paduano outlines the strategy

A new European organisation, investments in technological development and an expanding network of industrial partnerships. Honda Marine has embarked on a growth strategy that, according to the Japanese manufacturer, should take it to the top of the European outboard market by 2030. Achieving this objective will involve renewing its product range, integrating propulsion and steering systems, and adopting a commercial model in which relationships with boatbuilders play a central role. Vincenzo Paduano, EU Country Sales & Boat Builder Manager at Honda Marine, explains this evolution in an interview with PressMare, also addressing changes in the Italian market: from the growth of high-horsepower outboards and price competition to an issue affecting the entire recreational boating industry - how to make boating accessible once again to a broader range of users.

PressMare - Over the past couple of seasons, Honda Marine seems to have stepped up its activities. You have introduced new outboards and strengthened partnerships with boatbuilders. Is this development phase continuing? What are your objectives for the coming years?

Vincenzo Paduano - Absolutely. On 1 April 2024, Honda established a dedicated European Marine division, headquartered in Rome. The choice of Italy was no coincidence: it is the market where Honda Marine holds its highest market share worldwide, and we are regarded as a benchmark for commercial best practices. Since then, we have accelerated the development of the business, introducing the new range of inline-four and V6 outboards last year and strengthening our cooperation with major boatbuilders, both in terms of their market positioning and production volumes. The arrival of the BF350 V8 has contributed to this growth, allowing us to enter a segment where we previously had no presence. But we have no intention of stopping there. We are working to expand and renew the range, with particular emphasis on technological integration and boat steering and control systems. Honda has expertise spanning the automotive and aerospace industries, and we want to bring that knowledge into the marine sector as well. Our ambition is not simply to catch up with competitors, but to introduce solutions that do not currently exist. Our goal is to become the leader in the European marine market by 2030.

PM - This year you have not introduced any new outboards, but you have focused on your boat-and-engine package offering, renewing the Honda 4XC project. What is the strategy behind this?

VP - The previous 4XC range had reached the end of its lifecycle, so we decided to launch a new project with BMA, a brand established in 2019. The boats, designed by Spanish designer Carlos Vidal, have undergone a styling update with input from Honda’s Research and Development Centre in Rome, the same facility responsible for the design of our motorcycles. The redesign also involved the BMA logo. We have also obtained approval to replace the 4XC branding on the boats with Honda Marine, an important step in strengthening our commercial identity. The boats will continue to be manufactured by Rib Italy but will be distributed exclusively through the Honda Marine network worldwide. We want to offer our dealers dedicated products, avoiding overlaps between different distribution networks.

PM - What does the new range consist of, and which customers is it aimed at?

VP - We have four open models - the 188, 200, 244 and 266 - ranging from 5.80 to approximately 8.20 metres, and three cabin models - the 255, 277 and 299 - from around 7.50 to over 9 metres. One of the most significant additions is the BMA 188, an approximately 18-foot boat that can be equipped with the BF40E and operated without a boating licence in Italy. We offer it as a complete package for €26,550 excluding VAT, with a three-year financing option. It is designed both for people entering boating for the first time and for rental operators. This range enables Honda dealers to cover a broad section of the market using different engines from our catalogue. We are already evaluating the development of additional models.

PM - Is the same approach being applied to Altamarea RIBs?

VP - Exactly. Altamarea is an important partner, and on its RIBs the 4XC branding is also being replaced by the Honda Marine and Altamarea logos. Last year we introduced the HA 8.5, while this year we launched the HA 9.5. Compared with the previous HA 23 and HA 27 range, the new models have a higher market positioning and more comprehensive equipment, including a toilet compartment inside the console. We are already working on further developments and are planning an event next spring for our dealer network and end customers, giving them the opportunity to test the boats and directly assess the work carried out to optimise the hull-and-engine combinations.

PM - What advantages does buying a complete boat-and-engine package offer compared with choosing the boat and engine separately?

VP - The first advantage is that the boat is already designed and prepared for a specific engine installation. Boatbuilders deliver the boats complete with the components and systems required to install the outboards, following standardised procedures that ensure greater consistency in quality. However, the process begins at the design stage: we share three-dimensional models, technical data, engine weights and dimensions with the boatbuilders, naturally under confidentiality agreements. This makes it possible to simulate static trim and dynamic behaviour, optimising the integration between hull and propulsion system. We want to offer a product based on an approach similar to the automotive industry: a turnkey boat, already tested, with known indicative performance figures and a clearly defined price. Customers know what they are buying and how much they will spend, without unexpected costs to complete the specification. Naturally, they can choose additional accessories and equipment, which we prefer to have installed directly at the factory so that the boat arrives at the dealership ready for delivery.

PM - Beyond BMA and Altamarea, you are expanding partnerships with other manufacturers. What results have you achieved?

VP - We currently have commercial agreements with 33 European boatbuilders, including BMA and Altamarea. This year, for example, we established partnerships with Joker Boat and Marcopolo. The latter brand has a boat approximately 12 metres long, powered by three BF350 V8 outboards, weighing around 11 tonnes and recording a combined fuel consumption of approximately 150 litres per hour at 27 knots. This demonstrates the performance we can deliver even on boats of considerable size and displacement. Our relationships with partner boatbuilders go beyond commercial agreements and include joint testing, development and marketing activities. Our objective is to provide dealers with an increasingly extensive portfolio of boats already matched with Honda outboards.

PM - Honda has traditionally been associated with reliability and low fuel consumption, but the brand also has a long history in motorsport. The new Racing livery for the BF350 seems intended to highlight that heritage.

VP - Honda has a very strong racing DNA. Our founder maintained that Honda would not have existed without competition, because racing is where technology, performance and reliability are developed. Having a fast engine is not enough; you also have to reach the finish line. Many solutions developed in motorsport, such as the VTEC system, were subsequently transferred to production products, including outboards. In the marine sector, however, this sporting heritage is less widely recognised: Honda is primarily associated with reliable, fuel-efficient engines, whereas we want to demonstrate that they also deliver strong performance. This is the thinking behind the BF350 Racing livery and another project we are working on: establishing a European one-make racing championship dedicated to this engine. Each country will have to comply with the regulations of its national sporting federation. In Italy, we have already opened discussions with the Italian Powerboating Federation, and we hope to organise the first championship next season.

PM - Turning to the market, the 2026 sales season has just ended. How did outboard sales perform in Italy?

VP - The 2026 season closed with growth. Since 1 October, we have already entered the 2027 sales season, and the results for the year just ended are positive, particularly in the higher-horsepower categories. For the first time, the segment of outboards rated at 350 hp and above exceeded 1,000 units sold, and on a rolling 12-month basis the market reached more than 1,100 engines. The large and extra-large horsepower categories, starting from 111 hp, are also growing. Against this backdrop, Honda achieved a 23% share of the relevant segment with the BF350, a significant result considering that we are present with just one model. The 40 hp category also grew considerably, but this segment is characterised by intense price competition, particularly between three- and four-cylinder engines. We believe that part of the increase in volumes was driven by particularly aggressive commercial policies.

PM - Has Honda decided to participate in this price competition?

VP - We have preferred to maintain a different approach. We believe customers should choose our products for their technical characteristics, quality and reliability, rather than simply because they cost less. It is a difficult position to maintain in the short term, but we are convinced that it can deliver positive results over the medium to long term. There is also a question of respect for customers: introducing particularly substantial price reductions today would penalise those who bought one of our engines in previous years, placing their trust in the brand. That is why we have decided not to follow certain market pricing practices.

PM - Honda’s range currently extends from 2.3 to 350 hp, but the market is demanding increasingly powerful engines, and there are still some gaps to fill, such as the 175 hp category. How do you intend to develop the offering?

VP - Our range is already fairly comprehensive, but we know that we need to expand it, particularly to develop our business with boatbuilders further. We are working both on new projects and on the evolution of existing models, with particular emphasis on the integration of steering and control systems. The BF350 V8 and the BF200, BF225 and BF250 are already available with electronic drive-by-wire controls, while one of the projects we are investing in concerns an integrated electric steering system developed entirely by Honda. Today, we use solutions from external suppliers for this function, and we have built excellent partnerships with them, but we want to develop an even more comprehensive system in which steering is also an integral part of the Honda offering. At the same time, we are continuing to renew the range, moving towards engines that are increasingly lightweight, fuel-efficient and reliable.

PM - Let’s talk about the environment. Honda was among the first manufacturers to focus on four-stroke outboards. What technologies are you currently using to reduce fuel consumption and emissions?

VP - Protecting the marine environment is part of Honda’s history. Our founder had already expressed the desire to develop engines that respected the sea, and that philosophy led to the decision to focus on four-stroke technology. Today, we continue to work on combustion efficiency. Almost all our outboards are equipped with a lambda sensor, which monitors the air-fuel mixture and helps optimise fuel consumption and emissions. Another important technology is ECOmo, Honda’s lean-burn combustion management system, available on engines from 40 to 350 hp. Looking ahead, we are developing additional solutions, drawing on expertise acquired in the automotive sector.

PM - We have discussed high-horsepower engines, but is there still a market for small portable outboards, or have volumes declined considerably?

VP - The Italian market can broadly be divided into three categories: approximately one-third of sales volumes consists of 40 hp engines, one-third of higher-horsepower engines, and the remaining third of smaller outboards. So demand for low-horsepower outboards still exists, although volumes are no longer what they once were. What is changing most is the way people approach boating. As in the automotive sector, more and more people prefer to pay to use a vehicle rather than own it. Rental is becoming increasingly important, and models such as boat clubs are spreading across several markets, allowing customers to pay a periodic membership fee to access a fleet of boats. Honda has also studied a project of this kind, which we have not abandoned, although we still need to define its timing and structure. I believe this change will particularly affect younger generations: in the near future, relatively few young people are likely to become boat owners. They will probably be more interested in paying to use a boat, at least up to certain sizes.

PM - Speaking of accessibility, Italy has introduced the D1 boating licence, partly intended to encourage young people to take up boating. Is it working?

VP - Not as it should have, at least so far. The main problem has been the gap between the original concept and its practical implementation. Making the new licence operational required the introduction of an examination monitoring system using digital tools and cameras, with individual checks. This created organisational difficulties, both in terms of facilities and the personnel required. Some regions started earlier, while others experienced delays, and we have not yet seen the expected results. The situation has affected the market segments covered by the new qualification, particularly engines up to 115 hp and, indirectly, the 40 hp category as well. I hope these problems will be overcome, because we need measures that make it easier for new users to enter boating. However, the broader issues of generational renewal and changing attitudes towards ownership of leisure vehicles remain.

PM - There is also an economic issue. Since the pandemic, prices for boats and RIBs have increased substantially, in some cases by 40, 50 or 60%. This makes it increasingly difficult for people to enter boating.

VP - That is precisely why we have developed two entry-level packages, both of which can be operated without a boating licence in Italy: the BMA 188 and the Altamarea HA20. We are talking about two boats approximately six metres long, one with a rigid hull and the other an inflatable, priced below €30,000 excluding VAT. We want to counter a trend that in recent years has pushed the entry price for boating towards €50,000. Considering average income levels in Italy, it is clear that an investment of this size represents a major obstacle for someone looking to buy their first boat. But the purchase price is only part of the problem.

PM - The other major obstacle is marina infrastructure. Berthing costs are high in Italy and, in many locations, it is difficult even to find an available berth.

VP - It is an enormous problem, and unfortunately one we have been unable to solve. Yet just beyond our borders, there are examples we could learn from. In France, there are dry-stack storage facilities capable of accommodating 1,500 to 2,000 boats, in areas where several marinas operate alongside one another. This allows users to choose between different solutions, from high-end marinas to more affordable facilities, dry storage and moorings along canals. In Italy, by contrast, access to the water is becoming increasingly complicated. During the pandemic, the sharp increase in demand for berths contributed to rising marina fees, which have remained high ever since. Added to this is the practical difficulty of finding a berth: in many locations, even if you are willing to pay, there is simply no availability. We cannot assume that the solution is to wait for marinas to empty and prices to fall as demand declines. We need to act sooner, creating conditions that allow more people to go boating. Otherwise, we risk losing an important part of the recreational boating community.