SAM and Mercedes-Benz Style finalise Grandturismo design
In September 2012, SuperyachtDesign reported on a concept from Silver Arrows Marine called Grandturismo, the final design of whichhas been signed iff by its design partner, Mercedes-Benz Style.…
London, UK. In September 2012, SuperyachtDesign reported on a concept from Silver Arrows Marine (SAM) called Granturismo. SAM has now revealed that the final design has been signed off by its design partner, Mercedes-Benz Style. “With Mercedes-Benz Style we really have made the first Granturismo of the seas, as one look at the finished design will confirm,” says chairman of SAM, Ron Gibbs. “There will be nothing else like it on the water with such beauty and so many innovations. It will have everything that people expect of a luxury yacht bearing the Mercedes-Benz Style name.”
This design freeze comes after 12 months of concentrated work testing and validating every aspect of the yacht’s functionality and performance. According to Gibbs, the project has followed the same methodology used in the automotive industry from the beginning, using clay models and rigorous testing of prototypes. “This process has taken time but by following automotive prototyping practices we can be sure all crucial development has taken place before production begins, not after, as is often the case with motor yachts,” he says. “We go into the next phase leading up to production confident of achieving our aims.”
The team of designers, which includes marine industry specialists with backgrounds in superyachts, like acclaimed yacht designers Martin Francis and Tommaso Spadolini, and Formula One motor racing, wanted to blend marine and automotive technologies to make “a small motoryacht built like a superyacht”.
Inside and out, the design, detailing, materials and colourways are more familiar from a luxury car than a yacht. “Our motoryacht is about comfort and functionality in every detail,” finishes Ron Gibbs. “In this we follow the lead of the most recent range of Mercedes-Benz models – some of the people who worked on these cars are also working with us on the new yacht, including Gorden Wagener, Head of Mercedes-Benz Design.”
The concept’s journey of development will be presented at the Monaco Yacht Show 2013.
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