New Arrow460-Granturismo: Built like a luxury Mercedes

New Arrow460-Granturismo © Peter Janssen

The first time that the predecessor of Mercedes-Benz designed a boat was back in 1888, when Gottlieb Daimler built a launch for Otto von Bismarck, powered by Daimler's new one-cylinder internal combustion engine. The engine burned benzene, and the boat was named Mercedes, after the daughter of one of Daimler's investors. We all know what happened to Mercedes-Benz after that.

Now the German luxury car maker has teamed up with Silver Arrows Marine in the south of France and Yanmar, the Japanese diesel manufacturer, to launch a totally new 46-foot boat called the Arrow460-Granturismo, designed (somewhat) after Mercedes' Silver Arrows racing cars of the 1930s.

"We started from a blank piece of paper to create a new boat concept, something different in terms of materials, approach and technology," says Paolo Bonaveri, Silver Arrows' global marketing director. The result is a luxury performance cruiser that's sleek and powerful-looking on the outside, and clean and modern-looking on the inside. And there's nothing quite like it.

The interior is bright and open, with some creative touches. The side windows retract, just like the windows in your car (if you have a luxury car). They're made of smart glass; you can adjust the transparency from dark to light at the press of a button to maintain your comfort, and your privacy, on board. And the entire front windshield can be raised and supported on two struts to open the salon to the outdoors, providing what the Silver Arrows calls a "pergola roof."

In its day-boat mode, the Arrow460 can hold ten passengers. At night, the salon transforms from a lounge to a dining area to a private bedroom suite for two, with a private head and shower. The idea is that it's designed like a car interior, with everything built in; the small galley, dining table, TV and bed are all hidden until needed.

For its luxury look, the hull has custom silver paint, the interior wood is veneer eucalyptus, the lounges are covered in white leather. Everything is custom, down to the hinges. There's built-in chilled wine storage.

Power comes from two lightweight, compact 440-hp Yanmar 6LY common-rail diesels, with V drives and custom five-blade Rolla props. The Arrow460 cruises at 28 knots and tops out 38 knots.

Specifications: LOA:46'6"; Beam: 13'3"; Draft: 3'1"; Disp.: 28,660 lbs.; Fuel: 200 gals.; Water: 62 gals.; Power: 2×440-hp Yanmar 6LY diesels.

For more information visit: www.silverarrowsmarine.com/samlang/en/arrow460

This article has been provided by the courtesy of the Cruising Odyssey.