Automakers and Their Boats, a Refreshing Luxury Alternative

Summer heat be damned, there is no shortage of good reasons to hit the road… or the lake. Did you know that many automakers have developed or contributed to the design of some remarkable water-going creations? We’re not exactly talking about Honda marine engines, but rather sporty and luxurious power boats and sailboats.

Here is a photo gallery that is sure to give you cool dreams. All aboard!

Pictured above: This carbon fibre boat looks a lot like the new Bugatti Chiron, doesn’t it? The French automaker worked with yacht builder Palmer Johnson and the Niniette 66 is actually named after company founder Ettore Bugatti’s daughter.

The 35-metre-long Dynamiq 115 GTT super-yacht was designed by Studio Porsche for a limited production of seven units priced at 12 million euros (approx. $18.4 million) apiece.

Mercedes-AMG and Cigarette Racing have been partners for 11 years now. After introducing a 50-foot-long Marauder AMG inspired by the Mercedes-AMG GT R coupe in 2017, the German automaker is back with the boating equivalent of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE.

Speaking of Mercedes, the Silver Star is also responsible for the creation of the magnificent Arrow460 Granturismo.

You could easily picture James Bond at the helm of the Aston Martin AM37S, a yacht-style power boat developed in collaboration with Quintessence Yachts. It features not one, but two 520-horsepower Mercury engines.

This sports yacht concept, whose opulence and class are only matched by its agility on water, bears the signature of Lexus.

Let’s move over to sailboats. For car enthusiasts, the first name that comes to mind is Volvo thanks to its long-running Volvo Ocean Race series.

America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sport and dates back to 1851. Since last year, Land Rover BAR has its own boat and team.

Oracle Team USA, another America’s Cup contender, knows the importance of finding a good technological partner. That title goes to BMW.