The first yacht concept by Lexus, the 12.7-metre Lexus Sport Yacht, unveiled

lexussportyachtconceptThe Japanese carmaker Lexus recently presented its first yacht concept, the 12.7-metre Lexus Sport Yacht, in Miami. The project features many of the characteristics of the brand’s sports cars, and it is aimed at “demonstrating how the luxury automotive brand could expand into new areas of lifestyle and recreation”.
The design has been carried out with the collaboration of Marquis-Carver Yacht Group of Wisconsin, an American firm with extensive experience in the use of carbon fibre on luxury yachts.
In fact, unlike other similar yachts, Lexus’ concept will be built in carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, the same material used in the Lexus LFA supercar. Such lightweight material is expected to save up to 1000 kilos compared to similar sized fibreglass yachts.
Being more a day-trip vessel than a multiday cruiser, the Lexus Sport Yacht doesn’t have sleeping quarters. It provides comfortable seating for up to eight guests, and it includes a shower and a galley, which has a stove and a refrigerator.
A big colour touch screen panel at the helm provides with plenty of information for navigation, surface radar, underwater sonar and digital charts. Through the screen, lighting and entertainment systems onboard, including the sound system –a Mark Levinson unit with built-in 4G wifi– can also be controlled.
Two 5.0-litre V8 engines borrowed from the engine production lines of Lexus RC F, GS F and new LC500 coupé power the yacht, providing 330kW each for a total of 885-horsepower. The yacht can reach a top speed of 43 knots. A bow thrusters with joystick control enhances easy manoeuvrability.
“This concept for a Lexus Sport Yacht allowed us to explore how Lexus design language could be applied to a maritime idea,” according to Yoshihiro Sawa, executive vice president of Lexus International. “For the Lexus Design Centre this project has been very exciting. The effort is valuable to us as it stirs our creative energies and pushes our imagination to design and lifestyle possibilities outside of the automotive realm we know well.”
Lexus has actually been designing smaller boats for about twenty years, targeted exclusively at Japanese markets. The company now joins other luxury carmakers, such as Aston Martin, Bugatti, and Mercedes-Benz, which have all recently designed larger yachts.