Luxury car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz have made their first foray into the world of yachts at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show. The show, taking place now in the Principality of Monaco on the French Riviera, is considered to be the most prestigious show in the yachting world, so it was a fitting backdrop for the German auto makers to make a splash. Mercedes-Benz Style paired up with UK-based boat builders Silver Arrows Marine to design the 46 foot Granturismo luxury motor yacht, which will be available for purchase in 2013.
Gorden Wagener, a design head at Mercedes-Benz told show-goers in Monaco; “Giving shape to a boat was an exciting challenge for automotive designers like we are. Our task was to explore how to apply the Mercedes-Benz design language to the particular proportions and specific requirements of a boat. We wanted to create something special and what we have come up with is indeed unique. The ‘Silver Arrow of the seas’ embodies pure emotion and stands for luxury, style and pleasure.” The respective teams at Mercedes and Arrows set out to combine the iconic design features of the luxury car with cutting edge new technologies from world famous Arrows marine architects Martin Francis and Tommaso Spadolini.
Granturismo, pictured below, was designed for day cruises, although the vessel also offers overnight accommodations. Ron Gibbs, chairman of Silver Arrows Marine, said: “It has been a privilege to work with professionals as passionate about design as we are passionate about boats and the sea. I am confident that together we can deliver innovation and elegance in a motor yacht that changes the way people see boats in this class.” Check out the design sneak-peek the two companies presented in Monaco.
Images courtesy Mercedes-Benz.
