Lexus Sport Yacht 42

A luxury automaker designing a yacht isn’t such a far-fetched idea anymore. Fast on the heels of the Aston Martin/Quintessence Yachts and Mercedes-Benz/Silver Arrows Marine partnerships, Lexus has entered the fray with its one-of-a-kind, bespoke 42-foot open sport yacht.

The prototype, which made its global debut in January, was developed via Marquis Yachts’ partnership with the car brand and features a reddish gold foredeck that dazzles. And the hull itself is equally cool, thanks to a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic makeup that is similar to what you would find in a highperformance car. Indeed, Marquis Yachts’ familiarity with this material is one reason it was contracted to build the 42.

The new vessel can accommodate eight people and reach a top speed of 43 knots, according to Marquis. The captain utilizes a forward-thinking helm with two touchscreens, a small one mounted in the wheel and a much larger one on the helm dash. Down below, the forward cabin comes complete with air-conditioning, a table, sofa seating for six, a galley, and leather and wood details—all a result of working with Diesel Center Frabetti Design of Italy and Toyota Marine engineers.

“In building the Lexus Sport Yacht concept, we managed and administered a quality program to exacting standards and expectations. We’ll apply what we’ve learned to all Marquis and Carver Yachts going forward,” says Paul Liss, vice president of operations and manufacturing for Marquis Yachts. “We worked with extreme tolerance levels to construct this boat. Essentially, these are aerospace-like tolerances and specifications. I am very proud to be a part of this, as is our entire team. This will raise our own quality and construction standards to new levels.”

A rising tide of investment from the world of luxury automakers has shone its bright light on boatbuilding for the time being. Who knows what we’ll see next? marquisyachts.com —Simon Murray