They say the best things come to those who wait and boy have we waited. It’s been 14 years since the last Sunseeker Superhawk 43 rolled off the production line in Poole, killed off by a combination of the 2008 financial crisis and changing consumer tastes. But while the economy eventually returned to business as usual, boat-buying habits did not. The demand for pure performance boats with big engines, skinny hulls and limited creature comforts continued to ebb away (in Europe at least), leaving Sunseeker temporarily stumped as to how to replace its iconic Superhawk range.
After a number of speculative computer renderings and changes of direction, it finally settled on this boat, the new Superhawk 55. Tapping into the current trend for big, open dayboats with as much focus on style and luxury as performance, it is described by Sunseeker’s sales and marketing director, Sean Robertson, as having “the spirit of Sunseeker’s original Superhawk... but re-imagined for the owners of today.”
SIZE MATTERS
Clearly, today’s owners are a demanding lot because the new 55 is a vastly bigger, heavier, more powerful machine than any previous Superhawk. Even the last of the mighty triple-engined Superhawk 50s from 2005 weighed less than 12 tonnes and packed a total of 1,320hp, whereas the new Superhawk 55 weighs over 26 tonnes and boasts 1,450hp. But perhaps the most telling measurement is the beam; the old Superhawk 50 measured 10ft 10in across, the new one comes in 16ft 2in – 2in wider than a Manhattan 55.
Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Motor Boat & Yachting UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av Motor Boat & Yachting UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Lofoten or Bust- Part 4- Grandezza owner Per Harrtoft heads back to Sweden after an epic 3500nm adventure deep into the Arctic Circle to visit the mythical Lofoten islands
After ten memorable days in the Lofoten Islands in the far north of Norway, we are on our way back south towards Sweden. We have already made it as far as Trondheim, a charming place even if it was raining so hard we had to cycle round the city centre clutching umbrellas. But now we are back on board Deamare, our Grandezza 40 Fly, eating up the miles at a steady 31 knots.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YACHT TRANSPORT
As the name suggests it's a means of having your boat moved professionally from one location to another. It might be as simple as hiring someone to tow your RIB a few miles down the road or as complex as shipping a superyacht halfway around the world.
HANDLE A SINGLE SHAFTDRIVE BOAT PART 1
Single shaftdrive boats are relatively rare these days but the reduced costs of buying, servicing and fuelling such a simple but reliable drivetrain does mean they are making a bit of a comeback.
COCKWELLS MOTOR LAUNCH
There can be very few boats that have appeared three times at the Southampton Boat Show and been sold off the stand each time.
INSTALLING AN AUTOPILOT
Rick Channon makes solo boating simple with a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot
GOOD AS NEW
Why fit a brand new engine when Volvo Penta's remanufacturing service can rebuild you an old one to the same standard for a fraction of the price?
BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 54
Alex Smith heads to France's Beneteau HQ for a UK exclusive on what might just be the best Swift Trawler yet
ΧΟ EXPLR 44
Can XO's all-new aluminium flagship really make it big in the Med?
BUYING OUR FIRST CLASSIC
Instead of whiling away their retirement playing bowls, Rob and Shona Adams decided to invest their time and money in a classic Silver gentleman's yacht. Would the gamble pay off?
PRINCESS S65
Torn between the V and F Class flagships? The new S65 might be the boat you've been waiting for...