Autoblog

Gray Designs' latest auto-influenced yacht dubbed Xhibitionist [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Videos, Specialty, Design/Style, Luxury

Swedish designer Eduard Gray, who you've heard of via the Dartz Jo-Mojo and Pombron Nagel concepts and delightful Saab 92010 Sixten concept, is back at the drawing board penning boats and matching supercars. Following the Strand Craft 122, the Xhibitionist is a 75-meter superyacht with unmissable automotive cues, and it is said to be the inspiration for the Xhibit-G supercar.

The Xhibitionist is a multi-purpose watercraft whose inner spaces can be rearranged into a car showroom, a partitioned retail space or a luxury lounge for guests. The 'hood' at the bow opens up to release an array of solar panels that are sturdy enough to act as a platform for entertaining or as a helipad. Beneath that is a viewing deck, while out back, guests can enjoy the hot tub on the fly deck.

Motivation for the Xhibitionist comes from hybrid engines in the "powerplant gallery," but the carbon-fiber-bodied Xhibit-G supercar with its aluminum chassis gets more traditional gumption from a 630-horsepower V12. Oddly for a supercar, though, the car is limited to a top speed of 155 mph. Inside is white leather set off by black carbon fiber and chrome. The supercar is said to be for Zeus Twelve, a supercar brand working with Mansory and Lotus.

You can check out the video below to see how the Xhibitionist gets attention, and read more about it in the press release.

Continue reading Gray Designs' latest auto-influenced yacht dubbed Xhibitionist [w/video]

Gray Designs' latest auto-influenced yacht dubbed Xhibitionist [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW designers make waves with new Intermarine 55 motoryacht

Noah Joseph — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., BMW, South America, Design/Style, Luxury

Intermarine 55 by BMW DesignworksUSA - Click above for high-res image gallery

Head down to the local yacht club and you're likely to see as many BMWs in the parking lot as anything else. It's not that Bimmers are any more nautical than any other car, but they seem to attract the same sort of clientele that are drawn to the open water - and they have the means to get there. But over the past few years, the company's design house has been bridging that gap by dabbling its proverbial toes in the waters of naval architecture (read: boat design).

Following their partnership with the Bavaria shipyard (which has yielded both sail and power boats styled by BMW's pens), BMW DesignworksUSA has teamed up with Brazilian company Intermarine to launch a new 57-foot cockpit motoryacht.

BMW Designworks USA focused their design of the Intermarine 55 on creating an open environment, emphasizing big windows to let the sunshine in and the occupants see out, as well as an open-plan interior and plenty of deck space for enjoying the good life on the water. Similar to other vessels of this size, the Intermarine 55 features three cabins, two bathrooms and a large salon.

The Intermarine 55 also highlights the expanding business which the German automaker's American design studio has pursued in Brazil and across South America, most notably in designing Embraer's business jet cabins, but also branching into a wide variety of disciplines, from medical equipment and metal hardware to computers and cameras. Follow the jump to read all about it, and check it the high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Intermarine 55 by BMW DesignworksUSA

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW designers make waves with new Intermarine 55 motoryacht

BMW designers make waves with new Intermarine 55 motoryacht originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW splits from Oracle after America's Cup win

David Kiley — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:58:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, BMW

America's Cup champion BMW Oracle Racing says German automaker BMW is ending its sponsorship at the end of the year by mutual agreement.

BMW has been part of the syndicate since 2002, contributing in the areas of structural engineering and lightweight, composite construction.

BMW Oracle Racing swept Alinghi of Switzerland in two races in February to win the America's Cup, the oldest trophy in international sports. Its radical trimaran design was the fastest boat in the history of the America's Cup.

BMW Oracle Racing is owned by Larry Ellison, CEO of software maker Oracle Corp.

The reason for the bust-up? BMW is said by sources to want to separate from technology partner Oracle over business issues.
The BMW-Oracle team won the America's Cup in February with a convincing 2-0 victory.

"In winning the 33rd America's Cup, we achieved all of our ambitious goals," said Ralf Hussmann, general manager BMW sports marketing. "We will continue to be involved in the sport on a national level."

[Source: BMW | Image: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty]

Continue reading BMW splits from Oracle after America's Cup win

BMW splits from Oracle after America's Cup win originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Strand Craft 122 super yacht comes with supercar and in-boat garage to hold it

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Design/Style, Luxury

Strand Craft 122 Super Yacht - Click above for high-res image gallery

We know what you're thinking. What business does a yacht - albeit one as ridiculously lustworthy as the Strand Craft 122 promises to be - have gracing the pages of Autoblog? Somewhat surprisingly, the answer is a garage. And also a supercar. That's right, this ultra-yacht design study comes with an integrated garage in the stern that houses an 880-horsepower V12-powered supercar.

Despite the fact that the designer has shared next to nothing about the supposed supercar (other than the fact that it can theoretically travel at speeds of over 230 miles per hour), we're going to go ahead and start referring to it as the World's Coolest Tender. Feel free to check out the high-res rendering of the machine in our image gallery below.

As far as the yacht goes, we guess that's pretty cool too... what with power coming from twin Rolls-Royce engines along with an optional booster engine sporting over 14,000(!) horsepower and a top speed of 55 knots. Not too shabby, eh? Price? Well, it's all theoretical at this point, but even so, we're guessing we could pool the AB staff's money together and still only come up with enough money for a quick tour of the harbor in one.

Gallery: Strand Craft 122 Super Yacht

[Source: Strand Craft]

Strand Craft 122 super yacht comes with supercar and in-boat garage to hold it originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 May 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spirit of EcstaSea: Rolls-Royce collaborates on Palmer Johnson mega-yacht

Noah Joseph — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Rolls-Royce

Palmer Johnson Ice Class World Yacht - Click above for high-res image gallery

Teak decks, big engines, luxurious accommodations, leisurely cruising, lots of chrome...we could just as easily be talking about a modern Rolls-Royce as a motor yacht. So it should come as no surprise that renowned shipbuilder Palmer Johnson turned to Rolls-Royce to collaborate on one of its most ambitious projects, the PJ World Yacht.

The result of Palmer Johnson's acquisition of Flekkefjord & Slipp, a Norwegian builder of exploration vessels, the 82-meter Ice Class mega yacht concept features everything a world traveler could ask for, and then some: a helipad with elevator-equipped hangar, submarine garage and a six-floor interior designed by Italian naval architects Nuvolari-Lenard - including a three-deck master stateroom, swimming pool, gym, spa, home theater...the works.

The yacht even comes equipped with such pirate-defense features as water cannons and thermal imaging cameras, along with an environmentally-friendly diesel-electric propulsion system. Granted, the branch of Rolls-Royce with which Palmer Johnson collaborated on this project has more to do with marine equipment than luxury limousines, but against the backdrop of other automotive-nautical crossovers like BMW's Bavaria Cruiser 55 and Porsche Design's Fearless 28, the PJ Ice Class World Yacht looks like the veritable Rolls-Royce of mega yachts. Have a look at the renderings in the gallery below to see for yourself.

Gallery: Palmer Johnson Rolls-Royce Ice Class World Yacht

[Source: Palmer Johnson]

Spirit of EcstaSea: Rolls-Royce collaborates on Palmer Johnson mega-yacht originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Naval architects float designs for nautical Range Rovers

Noah Joseph — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, SUV, Land Rover, Specialty

Luxury sport-utes and yachts go together like champagne and strawberries. The good folk at the Volkswagen Group know that, which is why they came up with the VW Touareg North Sails and Audi Q7 V12 TDI Coastline concepts. But the British aren't about to leave all the wet n' wild fun to ze Germans, so they're cooking up a few sailing-themed SUVs of their own.

In cooperation with Land Rover, luxury yacht broker Edmiston has commissioned seven of the world's top yacht designers to participate in the Superyacht Range Rover Design Competition. The results of the design regatta will be put to sea (figuratively speaking) at the Monaco Yacht Show next month, at which point the obscenely wealthy may place orders for these bespoke SUVs at prices ranging from $300,000 to $1.2 million.

[Source: CarScoop]

Naval architects float designs for nautical Range Rovers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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