Thanks to a new partnership with Palmer Johnson, seafaring supercar fans of Bugatti will be able to take to the open waters in a choice of open-top sports yachts imbued with the storied French marque’s design philosophy, attention to detail and obsession with exotic lightweight materials.
The Niniette, as it is being christened, will come in three carbon fiber constructed sizes, from 12.8-26.8m (that’s 42ft to 88ft), and prices will start at €2 million.
Bugatti is not the only company more closely related to going very fast on land to turn its attentions to the sea. Aston Martin, through its partnership with Dutch yacht-maker Quintessence, has the AM37, which handles like an Aston and feels like an Aston in terms of its use of precious woods and leather. Pininfarina, the Italian studio that has been responsible for Ferrari’s exterior design for decades, has just collaborated on its first superyacht, and Mercedes has its Arrow460 Granturismo luxury motor yacht.
However, unlike the competition, Bugatti’s history is as closely related to the sea as it is the track. Ettore Bugatti was just as adept at building very fast ships, and his favorite yacht was called Niniette, which also happened to be the pet name of his daughter, Lidia.
Therefore the new boats should be seen as a return to the brand’s roots. This existing connection is why the two companies have looked to the classic Bugatti cars of the ’30s and ’40s for inspiration for the positions, strength and directions of exterior lines.
The central model, the 30ft Niniette, offers owners accommodation for four guests, a 63m2 salon on deck and another 43m2 space below, all within a cabon fiber hull clad with titanium, and a choice of bubinga, maple or morta oak wood.
Each boat will take 12 months to construct and clients can work with Bugatti to ensure that the interior is completely to their bespoke tastes.
