Boats 011 lexus sport yacht concept
Natasha Laging21 Jan 2017
NEWS

Changing tack: When car-makers head to sea

Increasing numbers of car marques are diving into the nautical world and floating concept boats...

In 2016 Bugatti announced it was teaming up with renowned yacht builder, Palmer Johnson, to make a new range of carbonfibre-hulled yachts, each with distinctive Bugatti design elements and a high-end construction featuring advanced materials.

Aston Martin also entered the marine world, unveiling a 37-foot AM37 powerboat boasting equally unique features. It was penned by Mulder Design, a firm famous for creating high-speed boats for the Bond flicks Octopussy, Moonraker and The World is Not Enough.

Aston Martin AM37

It can even be transformed into an overnight apartment (or Bond-style bachelor pad), with a comfy bed, microwave and espresso machine. Mercedes-Benz splashed its svelte boating concept early last year with the the Arrow460-Granturismo, which also seems perfect for James Bond.

Recently, Lexus tried its hand at designing a yacht powered by high-performance V8 engines with a claimed top speed of up to 43 knots (80km/h). It seems ideal for intimate entertainment, as you can lounge on a sofa in a cabin finished in luxurious leather and wood as you listen to some tunes on the integrated audio-video entertainment system.

concept yacht has all the business sticking out the front

So why exactly is the marine world proving so tempting for these car manufacturers? Are these concepts purely marketing exercises?

Well, yes – there's a bit of grandstanding, attention seeking and marketing, of course. Boating has that air of exclusivity and luxury that mates well with high-end motoring marques and their prestige markets.

The sheer sound of the Mercedes Arrow 460 Granturismo scares the fish into next week

For auto design studios, it's a natural progression to go from the roads to the waterways. And most of the boats we've mentioned have involved highly respected individuals in both the marine and auto worlds. The boat concepts show off innovative technology and impressive craftsmanship and challenge the status quo of the nautical world.

The concept of car-inspired boats is also steeped in history. You only have to go back to 1925, when the Fiat 509 SM was inspired by the 'barchetta' (little boat), for proof of that. And let's not forget the Amphicar Model 770, which endured gale-force winds and 6.1m waves as it pushed across the English Channel back in 1968.

1961 Amphicar Model 770

We thought we'd ask the carsales Facebook fans which car they'd most like to see turned into a boat.

One fan, Eric Jung, enthusiastically responded: "Could Holden try and make a Commodore V8 speed boat? Or a yacht named after the Clubsport R8? A supercharged powerboat from Holden sounds good." Eric may not remember back as far as the early Noughties when HSV tried out the Response R8.

John Em also had a few ideas: "Great Wall, Ssangyong, Mahindra, Chery... the list goes on and on."

And Feri Setyawan seems keen on a water pony given her simple response: "Mustang."

So, which car would you like to see head to sea?

Tags

Aston Martin
Mercedes-Benz
Lexus
Car News
Prestige Cars
Written byNatasha Laging
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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