Made in Monaco
Silver Arrow of the Seas
In 2012, the big news from Monaco delighted both sports car connoisseurs and those with a soft spot for exclusive luxury yachts. German automaker Mercedes-Benz announced unveiling the design of a new vessel, which would merge marine and automotive DNA codes with an unequivocal Mercedes-Benz imprint, and would undoubtedly become as much a symbol of luxury representing sporty dynamism and elegance, as a Mercedes S-class on the road. But at the same time, the authors of the idea were driven by the ambition to create the world's first motor yacht that would embody a radically new approach to the functionality and aesthetics of a luxury yacht. Thus by applying the technologies of the automotive industry in the construction of the vessel, which are now more innovative than those in the yacht building industry.
Mercedes-Benz has chosen the Principality of Monaco as the birthplace of its new legend. Thanks to this project, the new Silver Arrows Marine shipyard was established here. The best yacht builders under the leadership of the resident of Monaco, Paolo Bonaveri, a renowned luxury car brand consultant, have been working meticulously for a number of years on the unique concept for the ARROW460-Granturismo. The designers, Martin Francis from England and Tommaso Spadolini from Florence, worked with the MercedesBenz team to design a yacht that is elegant, luxurious and comfortable, as well as bearing an incredible resemblance to a car. This is the only yacht out there under the Mercedes-Benz Style label on the stern.
The first model of the 14-metre ARROW460Granturismo was first presented to the public at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2016. The beauty was given the symbolic name The Silver Arrow of the Seas, in honour of the Mercedes Silver Arrow racing cars (the fabled Silver Arrows), which became a revolutionary breakthrough in the distant 1930s. The designers gave the new creation recognizable proportions and features of the automobile Silver Arrows.
The ARROW460-Granturismo, which has
been conceived and designed for comfort and speed, is perfect for one-day outings. The yacht is powered by two diesel engines with a capacity of 353 kW/480 HP each, capable of providing a cruising speed of 28 knots and a maximum speed of 40 knots. This performance has been achieved, among other things, thanks to the unique hull design developed using algorithms of computational hydrodynamics. Due to the use of the latest navigation and control technologies, even inexperienced yachtsmen can easily and safely navigate it.
The yacht is equipped with an enclosed cab. The side windows are equipped with automatic window lifters and the front windshield opens like a hatch. The panoramic roof is made of smart glass, which, reacting to sunlight, adjusts the intensity of the tinting. The luxurious interior is made of high-quality materials – comfortable seats are made of dark blue and grey nubuck leather, and eucalyptus timber as the elegant panelling material. The interior can accommodate up to 10 people. If desired, it can also be easily transformed into a dining room or bedroom. In spite of small dimensions, in addition to the recreation area, the yacht also is equipped with a kitchen, a wine cellar with an ice maker and a bathroom. The wide cockpit provides plenty of room for easy access to water.
When choosing a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, the future owner always has options to select from a sedan, coupe, or convertible. With this approach in mind, the company decided to diversify its range of products even for its maritime applications. Recently, in addition to the ARROW460-Granturismo, the “ocean-going super coupé”, two other versions were unveiled: an open-roof convertible with a 20-metre-long retractable swimming platform, and a spacious limousine with an even more lush interior. To sum it up, the Mercedes-Benz Style is now embodied on the ground, in the air, and on the water.