NAVIS February / March 2017

Heritage + Haute Technology, Wrapped in Mercedes-Benz Style The Arrow 460-Granturismo

Eighty-four years ago this June, a white Mercedes-Benz W25 racing car was preparing for the Eifel Grand Prix. Tipping the scales in Nürburgring at a single kilogram over the 750-kilogram limit, the manager of the Mercedes-Benz team ordered the white paint ground from the body of the car, making weight and leaving the bare silver surface sparkling in the sun.

Few automobile manufacturers in the world can compete with the sophistication, craftsmanship, and innovation of Bentley. The company has been producing hand-built luxury motorcars for nearly a century, yet manages to create exciting new designs every decade. Bentley has been building Continental Supersports since 2003. Over the years, the manufacturer has improved the vehicle’s features to make it as spectacular as possible. The latest versions of the luxury coupe display features that will impress even the most experienced drivers.

The Bright and Beautiful Sunseeker 131 Motor Yacht ZoZo

Almost as if the glazing were splashed onto the yacht while cruising along at her top, 25-knot clip, the design of the Sunseeker Motor Yacht ZoZo is the epitome of performance and pleasure. This fashionable 131’5”/40.05-meter trendsetter boasts a sociable deck layout and posh detailing typically seen on exclusive custom yachts. Chic interiors carefully planned inside the striking exterior design explain why nine of these yachts have already pre-sold to insightful owners. Improvements to previous plans expand list of customizable interior choices make ZoZo, like each of the 131s on order, a personal yacht beautifully tailored to owner specifications.

Bienvenido, Giaola-Lu: Bilgin’s Contemporary 46-meter Showstopper

It isn’t often that someone new to custom yachts builds such a groundbreaking beauty, but for this Mexican owner, the process delivered a stunning success. The owner gave artistic license to create something modern, sociable, luxurious, and timeless, exchanging traditional design for usability. With those design compass points in mind, Bilgin Yachts put five generations and 120 years (more than 100 years or a century of expertise) of expertise toward creating the yacht of this owner’s dreams in the 46-m/155’ Gailoa-Lu, surpassing expectation in favor of delight.

There are times when the stars align to allow for the creation of something superior and this time it was the creation of Marie, Star of the Sea, a 57-meter ketch from the same team that brought us the gorgeous Adèle. Marie was a joint collaboration between Hoek Design and Vitters Shipyard, both Netherlands based businesses with a long history of collaboration. This collaboration, driven by a clear vision from the owner, resulted in one of the most stunning yachts to be built in recent years. Marie is a modern classic; yes that does sound like an oxymoron, but it’s not. The yacht has traditional styling that includes long overhangs both at the bow and stern, a raised coachroof not unlike those found on classic yachts at the turn of the last century, yet below the waterline and in the rig it’s all high-tech and extremely modern.

My Song is the sixth yacht total and the fourth sailing yacht designed by Nauta for the same Owner, the latest step in a partnership based on mutual admiration and respect that began almost 30 years ago. My Song is also the fourth collaboration between Nauta and Baltic Yachts, renowned and respected worldwide for their composite custom sailing yacht builds. While Nauta created the general concept, exterior and interior design, hull lines, sail plan and appendages are by Reichel/Pugh. The hull is elegant dark blue with a gold cove stripe and a dark, metallic grey coachroof. Mahogany, carbon and titanium are all used on deck and establish a colour palette that is both the result of functional and aesthetic choices.