The last time we looked in on Austrian vehicle tuner ABT, it was taking a break from high-speed cars to put its unique set of skills to work on one of 2023's sleekest (and most overpriced) Volkswagen camper vans. It's now emerged out of the forest to try its hand in the nascent electric boat market, teaming up with Marian on a pure-electric 603-bhp (450-kW) 26-footer capable of speeds up to 53 mph (85 km/h).
The all-new ABT-Marian M 800-R is the captivating result of two powerhouses in the world of speed coming together to work as one. Beyond the occasional camper van package, Kempten, Germany-based ABT Sportsline is better known for its work in motorsport, VW Group road/track car tuning and aftermarket electrification. Marian builds a full lineup of all-electric boats from its home on the gorgeously Alp-ringed shores of Austria's Lake Wolfgang.
Marian did a lion's share of the work out of the gate, supplying the base M 800 Spyder bowrider for the collaboration. The vessel combines a 25.9-ft (7-m) semi-glider hull specially sculpted for efficient cruising with an all-electric jet drive fed by a 121-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
The motor is uprated from the 268-hp (200-kW) drive on the standard M 800 models to a nominal output of 335 hp (250 kW). The full power-peak burst of 603 hp comes by way of a new "ABT" mode that flips on all water pumps and increases drivetrain cooling power. This readies the boat for its out-and-out top speed of 53 mph (85-km/h) top speed, up from 43 mph (70 km/h) on the standard boat.
From there, ABT does its tuner thing, skinning out the entire deck and cockpit area in blazing red leather and black Alcantara, affixing some flashy underwater lights, and wiring in an illuminated steering wheel and special 12-in multifunctional display. It also works a new air intake into the e-drive compartment to help with the cooling that underpins the 268-hp boost. A Bang & Olufsen sound system adds high-level audio on the water.
The M 800-R has a range up to 50 miles (80 km), or roughly 144 minutes, in cruise mode and comes equipped with 150-kW CCS fast charging that recharges the battery in under an hour, getting boaters back on the water as quickly as possible. The boat also has a 22-kW Juice Booster charger.
ABT and Marian revealed the M 800-R at the Formula E race in Monaco last month and will be taking it on a road trip tour of lakes around Austria and Germany in the coming weeks. Marian will build just 20 examples at its Austrian shipyard, each priced at €450,000 (approx. US$484,650) before VAT.
Source: ABT