Riva Iseo Super
- LOA: 8.24 m
- Beam: 2.50 m
- Engine: single Volvo Penta D4 diesel approx 300 hp, or petrol V8
- Top speed: approx 38 knots diesel, higher with V8
- Cruise: approx 33 knots diesel
- Guests: 4 to 5 for the day
- Design: Officina Italiana Design
- World premiere: 2025, evolution of the 2011 Iseo
The most accessible Riva
The Iseo Super evolves the model that reintroduced the small Riva runabout in 2011 and has sold steadily ever since. It sits at the foot of the range as the smallest combustion boat in the fleet, a size an owner can keep on a lift, tow to a lake or garage over winter. The brief was to modernise a classic without breaking the spell, so the proportions and the driving position stay faithful while the equipment moves on. It remains the Riva that a couple can enjoy entirely alone.
Officina Italiana Design handled the update, keeping the long bow and low stance that make the shape read as a Riva from a hundred metres. The Super badge brings a cleaner deck, fresh detailing and a broader choice of power. For many owners this is the first rung, the boat that leads in time to a Rivamare or an Aquariva. For others it is simply the prettiest way to reach a waterfront restaurant.
A classic profile, sharpened
The hull carries the taut, purposeful lines that have defined the runabout line, with a wraparound screen and a driver set low near the water. Mahogany is laid by hand in the traditional way and finished to a mirror, framed by chrome fittings and a choice of hull colours led by the famous aquamarine. A retractable roll bar and a neat bimini keep the profile pure when shade is not needed. From any angle it looks like a scaled model of something far bigger.
Details separate it from every rival runabout, from the flush hardware to the stitched leather and the way the woodwork wraps the cockpit coamings. The transom opens to a compact bathing platform for easy swimming and boarding. Owners can specify finishes to echo a larger Riva in the fleet. This is a small boat built with the obsession usually reserved for a flagship.
The entry Riva runabout, reborn with a single engine two people can run alone.
A cockpit that changes through the day
Inside its eight metres the Iseo Super packs a convertible cockpit that reshapes itself as the day unfolds. A sociable dinette aft folds flat into a sun lounge, while a forward sunpad gives a second place to stretch out at anchor. Four or five guests sit comfortably for a run to lunch, and stowage swallows the clutter of a beach day. The layout makes the boat feel a size larger than the tape suggests.
The helm is clean and modern, with a compact digital display and controls placed for a driver who wants to feel the boat instead of managing screens. Leather, mahogany and polished metal set the tone, the same materials that dress the largest yachts in the range. A sink and cool box can be worked into the console for long days out. Everything is arranged so two people can run the boat without help.
Single engine, plenty of spirit
The Iseo Super is driven by a single engine, a rarity in a fleet of twins and a large part of its charm and economy. Buyers choose a Volvo Penta D4 diesel of around 300 hp or a petrol V8 for those who want more urgency. In diesel form it cruises near 33 knots and tops out around 38, brisk enough to feel alive without a crew or a fuel bill to match the big boats. The petrol V8 lifts both figures for owners who like a livelier throttle.
A single stern drive keeps things simple to run, service and dock, which matters on a boat meant to be used casually and often. The hull is easy in a chop for its size and settles quickly onto the plane. This is not a boat chasing outright pace, and it does not need to. It is quick enough to raise a grin and calm enough to trust with the whole family.
Who it is for
The Iseo Super suits the buyer who wants a true Riva at the most attainable size, a boat to keep at a lake house or beside a bigger yacht as a glamorous runaround. It rewards the owner who values simplicity, a single engine and a craft two people can launch on a whim. First time Riva owners often start here and stay loyal for decades.
It is not the choice for anyone needing cabins, overnight range or serious offshore ability, since this is a pure day boat. For short beautiful runs and long lunches at anchor it has no real equal. As an entry to the marque it opens a door that rarely closes.
Who it is for: The buyer who wants the smallest, most usable Riva, a single engine day boat two people can run alone at a lake house or beside a larger yacht.