BENETEAU GRAN TURISMO 45

LOA 48ft 5in (14.8m) BEAM 13ft 8in (4.2m) ENGINES Volvo Penta sterndrives/ips up to 880hp TOP SPEED 33 knots PRICE FROM £462,220 inc VAT CONTACT www.beneteau.com

Due for launch in September, the GT45 replaces the Gran Turismo 46 to take its place as the flagship of Beneteau’s stylish sportscruiser range.

With sterndrive and pod-drive Volvo Penta engine options and fresh styling courtesy of Andreani Design, the 45 looks a tempting package even before you consider that you could have a well-specced one of these with the smaller engines for not far off £500,000 inc VAT. It’s a lot of boat, too, with two cabins as standard, including a full-beam master ensuite, and the option to replace the lower dinette with a pair of bunks, allowing six adults to sleep in comfort. Scissor-action berths in the VIP ensuite forward add some flexibility to the boat’s sleeping quarters, too.

On deck, an electric sunroof with glass panels comes as standard, providing shelter to a main deck that is protected enough, especially with the optional cockpit doors, to play saloon if you do opt to have the third cabin down below. The wet bar and the addition of a pop-up TV, finish off what is a comfortable and adaptable main deck. Forward, as there was on the 46, there is a helm seat and twin navigator’s bench to port, which works well. Further aft the space is split between a large dinette and a sun pad, the latter mounted atop a tender garage which keeps the bathing platform clear for swimmers.

The Air Step hull, which channels air into the hull step to give extra lift, is unchanged from the GT46 and should provide a balance of tidy seakeeping and engaging handling with performance the right side of 30 knots.

The new flagship of Beneteau’s sportscruiser range is a stylish and well proportioned machine

An electric sunroof, optional aft doors and pop-up TV transform the cockpit into a cosy deck saloon Two cabins come as standard but there’s the option of a third bunk cabin if needed