Mercedes-designed Silver Arrow motor yacht hits the open sea
Marking its world debut on the Cote d'Azur, the vessel is the first example of the new Arrow460-Granturismo designed by Mercedes-Benz Style for Silver Arrows Marine. As we've seen in stages up until this point, the motor yacht seeks to blend the best of automotive design and naval architecture in one symbiotic, 46-foot form with car-like proportions.
Rather than separate the interior from the exterior, Daimler's designers penned the vessel with retractable side windows – electronically tinting like Benz's own Magic Sky roof panels – and a windshield that can be raised to open up the cabin to the breeze blowing in from across the sea. The interior is coated in eucalyptus wood and outfitted with adjustable tables, on-board wine cellar, bathroom and dressing room. Having grown up spending weekends on the water, though, this writer's not so sure the automotive designers have quite mastered the skill of making the best use of space in a vessel this large.
No skimping was made in the engine room, however, where Silver Arrows Marine fitted a pair of diesel engines made by Yanmar (instead of MTU that used to be owned by Daimler) and good for 480 horsepower apiece for a combined output of 960 hp. In a vessel displacing 15 tons, that's said to be enough to cruise at 28-30 nautical miles per hour (equivalent to about 33 mph miles per hour by landlubber standards) and top out at over 40 knots (46 mph).
This isn't the first time we've seen an automotive design house pen a yacht (Henrik Fisker was the latest to do just that) nor the first time Mercedes has assigned its designers to venture beyond styling cars. Heck, it's not even the first time we've seen Mercedes partner on a boat launch, following the Cigarette speedboats done with AMG. But this could be one of the most stylish transitions from shore to sea we've seen yet. Show full PR text Mercedes-Benz establishes totally new boat concept: World premiere of the Mercedes-Benz Style luxury yacht "Arrow460-Granturismo"
Stuttgart/Nice. World premiere on the Cote d'Azur: The luxury motor yacht "Arrow460–Granturismo" designed by Mercedes-Benz Style has embarked on its maiden voyage off the coast of Nice. The first example of this new yacht model is named "Mercedes", and true to the tradition of the name it founds a completely new boat concept. The 14-metre long, 706 kW (960 hp) "Silver Arrow of the Seas" combines the performance of Mercedes-Benz sports cars with unique innovations from the boat industry. The yacht has classic automobile proportions that bring the hallmark Mercedes design idiom of sensual purity onto the water in a highly emotional and dynamic form. The yacht also combines the advantages of an open boat with those of a hull cabin cruiser in unique fashion. Its crossover design offers the ultimate in variability, resulting in a boat that is equally suitable for day trips and overnight stays on board.
Mercedes-Benz Style also makes the modern luxury for which the brand is known tangible beyond the world of the automobile. Since 2010, Mercedes-Benz designers working with selected partners have been developing exclusive products which have transported the high quality standards and unmistakable design philosophy of sensual purity into other mobility and lifestyle areas. As in vehicle development, they are guided by their passion for uniqueness.
"In developing the new motor yacht, we have transferred our expertise to the marine industry, creating something never seen before in the process. The 'Silver Arrow of the Seas' stands for modern luxury, avant-garde style and comfortable elegance. The yacht embodies the Mercedes-Benz's progressive, dynamic design philosophy of sensual purity on the water. Or, to put it another way, it is hot and cool in one, and stands for emotion and intelligence," said Gorden Wagener, Vice President Design Daimler AG. "Together with Silver Arrows Marine we have managed to develop a totally new boat concept. By virtue of maximum variability, the yacht combines the advantages of an open boat with the generous interior and privacy of a cabin cruiser. It weds charismatic design with perfect functionality, much in the same way as is familiar from our road vehicles. As such, the 'Arrow460–Granturismo' is sure to cause a stir on the seas and at marinas throughout the world in the coming years."
Silver Arrows Marine Chairman Ron Gibbs said: "Almost everything about Arrow460-Granturismo is unique, from its concept to the smallest bespoke detail. It is a motor yacht with a personality that truly embraces life, combining the best marine engineering with the inspired innovations and elegance that the world associates with the Mercedes-Benz name. By merging marine and automotive worlds, with their respective design language, technologies and ideas, we have created a new standard of motor yacht, unlike all others."
New form of boat concept with innovative interior and harmonious exterior
The 14-metre long, 706 kW (960 hp) luxury motor yacht "Arrow460–Granturismo" can accommodate up to 10 persons. The large side windows are retractable, and the windscreen can be raised. This means that passengers can sit comfortably in the interior while enjoying an all-round view and the feeling of sitting in the open. Tables and beds are extendable, and therefore available as and when required. Superior comfort is assured by a luxurious bathroom unit and separate dressing room. As standard the yacht is equipped with every feature an owner might wish for. Apart from an air conditioning system and a high-quality audio system, it has a "wine-cellar" and an ice-making machine.
Mercedes-Benz Style's innovative aspirations also embrace the choice of materials. Wood serves to line the entire interior, rather than using this material as a conventional floor covering. As a result of this three-dimensional application of wood, the fine grain of the eucalyptus follows the overarching forms of the interior lining, underscoring the overall flow of the interior.
The floor covering takes the form of an industrial, sustainable composite material featuring a specific flowing decor and a harmonious colour combination.
The glazing is unique in two respects: the luminous transmittance can be controlled electronically, along the same lines as the Mercedes-Benz Magic Sky technology; at the same time, the silver-shimmering glazing blends apparently seamlessly into the overall profile, as on the Mercedes-Benz concept vehicles F015 and Concept IAA. This avant-garde appearance underscores the sculptural and innovative character of the Arrow460-Granturismo.
The exterior design boasts clear contours and smooth surfaces. In a dynamic and sophisticated way, the muscular, extended hull accentuates the sensual purity of the design. With its long foredeck, a flowing, arched roofline and a slightly descending rear, the yacht has classic automobile proportions. The sides of the hull are structured with a feature line descending gently towards the stern. The concave and convex interaction along the entire flank creates a highly sculptural hull that conveys both dynamism and serenity. The overall composition is accentuated by elegantly styled yet functional details. Great attention has been paid to the handrails, for example, which are perfectly integrated into the roofline.
Technical data of the Arrow460-Granturismo
Total length
14.14 metres
Hull length
13.85 metres
Draught
0.93 metres
Maximum boat width
3.97 metres
Maximum displacement
13.58 tonnes
Fuel tank capacity
1200 litres
Water tank capacity
500 litres
Drive system
2 Yanmar 6LY3-ETP diesel engines, each rated at 353 kW (480 hp)
Cruising speed
28 to 30 knots (in calm seas)
Top speed
40+ knots (with light load)
Design category
Class B
The product world of Mercedes-Benz Style
Mercedes-Benz Style transfers the brand's sensual-pure design and high standards of luxury, aesthetics and technological innovation to other areas of life. In 2011 the Airbus Helicopters "EC145 Mercedes-Benz Style" lifted off as the first mobility product beyond the automobile. The interior, which excels with exceptional variability and exquisite materials, was created by Mercedes designers. All the seats are mounted on rails and can be positioned in various arrangements for four to eight persons, or completely removed. The new "H145 Mercedes-Benz Style" is tailor-made for luxury-class business and private travel. To date, ten units have been delivered to customers.
At present the designers are working together with Lufthansa engineers to create a completely new and luxurious cabin concept for short and medium-range aircraft. The classic division between the ceiling, walls and floor is blurred by a dynamic, spiralling division of space. This gives rise to new, independent spatial zones without the typical arrangement of seat and wall elements. The new sense of space is additionally reinforced by Mercedes's typically strong emphasis on contrast in terms of material, colour and lighting.
Since 2015 the label has cooperated with the Frasers Hospitality Group, an internationally leading provider of luxury apartments and associated services. Mercedes-Benz designers have fitted out six apartments in London and nine in Singapore. In addition they have developed the futuristic "Ameluna" hanging pendant together with the Italian lighting design company Artemide. With its visually sophisticated combination of clear contours, sensual surfaces and intelligent high-tech, was inspired by the underwater world. The high-end variant of the lamp additionally comes with a separate light source in various colours, which generates ambience lighting, familiar from Mercedes vehicles. "Ameluna" is controlled from an app. It was presented at the Light + Building exhibition and at the Salone del Mobile in Milan. The spring/summer collection from Mercedes-Benz Style Eyewear, produced in cooperation with Rodenstock, Germany's leading producer of spectacle lenses and frames, goes on sale at specialist dealers in April 2016.
About Silver Arrows Marine
Silver Arrows Marine builds innovative luxury motor yachts whose unique design purity captures the sporting elegance of today's finest Granturismo automobiles. Partnered by Mercedes-Benz Style and some of the world's foremost marine architects and suppliers, the first Arrow460-Granturismo, unveiled in spring 2016, introduces a completely new way of looking at, and living with, a 14m motor yacht, re-configuring it to embrace life with an abundance of light, space and hi-tech functionality. Silver Arrows Marine is a UK registered company whose yachts are only available through its sales subsidiary. Source
