Boats posing as sporty, four-wheeled coupes and roadsters is a theme we've been seeing all year in designs like the Frauscher 858 Fantom and Reversys Boat. As its name suggests, the Revolver 44GT aims at being a speedy but comfortable grand tourer of the seas. Its sports car-inspired design and seamless convertible hard-top make it the most sports car-like boat we've seen.
Boats and yachts seem to have have developed a bit of sports car envy. While their size, price and built-in amenities may put the most expensive, luxurious cars to shame, their hulking, utilitarian bodies are simply nowhere near as beautiful as the voluptuous curves of a proper sports car. Most boats also lack the slick convertible systems available on many a car model and are stuck in either closed or open configuration.
The Italian-designed Revolver 44GT takes on envy's most productive form: imitation. The vessel is unapologetic in its attempts to emulate sporty GT hard-top convertibles. Revolver says point blank that the 44GT powerboat is the result of "transferring the qualities of a gran turismo (GT) car to the sea." With looks and specs as our only judging points, it's about as successful as a boat can be at this mission.
The proportions of the 44GT's cockpit are distinctly reminiscent of a fastback coupe. Functional elements like the V-shaped hull and aft swimming platform prevent the design from wholly mimicking a sports car's form, but Revolver does its best to accent the boat with car-inspired elements. These include the rear "shark cut" air vents pulled from exotic cars of the 1960s, and the LED lights on the bow representing more modern automotive technology.
The 550-hp 6.7-liter turbo diesel V6 looks like it could be a sports car spec in itself, up until you read that the 44GT is powered by two such units, each driving an Arneson Surface Drive. That driveline provides a top speed of 50 knots (57 mph/93 km/h) and cruising speed of 40 knots (46 mph/74 km/h). Like a good GT car, top-end performance is not the sole objective, and Revolver says that the 44GT is also optimized for long distance cruising, offering a range up to 400 nautical miles (460 mi/741 km). The captain and his copilot stay comfortable in a pair of cozy, carbon-look seats at the helm.
The 44GT has another interesting auto-inspired feature that it shares with the 42R, an older Revolver design. Its remote-controlled convertible system is almost as simple and smooth as a power moonroof. At the push of a button, the tinted glass roof panel and side windows retract, opening the cockpit of the boat up to the thick, salty sea air.
The 44-ft (13.4-m) powerboat is designed to carry up to 12 people. In addition to the captain and co-driver, the boat offers seating for four passengers directly behind the helm station. Below deck, passengers will find a lounge with a convertible sofa and table/double bed, a kitchen and a minibar. The single bathroom includes a rain shower.
The 44GT has an air conditioning system powered by a 5-kW onboard generator, while an iPad dock-controlled multi-zone hi-fi system serves up entertainment for all occasions. The hydraulically-activated swimming platform with integrated bathing stairs provides an easy way to enjoy the surrounding waters.
London-based Revolver Boats revealed the 44GT at the Top Marques Monaco. Given its celebration of both high-end sports cars and boats, the event proved the perfect backdrop for the reveal of a GT-influenced powerboat. The boat is now ready for launch.
Source: Revolver Boats
