MIAMI. ASTON MARTIN AM37 ASTONISHES USA

When in May 2015, the historic English car manufacturer based in Gaydon announced the production of a powerboat, the news shook the boating world like a thunderbolt. The reasons for such surprise are even banal to explain: Aston Martin is an iconinc brand in the exclusive world of supercars. Technological innovation, extreme attention to details, a small number of units produced but with indisputable quality have always been its strengths since its establishment in 1913.

Very elegant ( and very expensive) in the best tradition of British sports cars, Aston Martin has also established itself as a motoring movie star after being adopted by James Bond movies, in a long series going from Sean Connery to Daniel Craigh. Expectations are consequently justifiable for a brand which should have transferred the experience of the English company into such a different field.

If, as in this case, a myth requires skillful work of generations of designers, creative talents and skilled workers, a single mistake is sufficient to damage it. With this in mind, the Aston Martin Design Departement decided to establish a partnership with Mulder Design, a naval architecture studio specialized in yachting since 1979, and Quintessence Yachts, a Dutch company specialized in research and development which has designed some among the most important yachts of recent years. The extraordinary result of this collaboration is the Aston Martin AM37.

The AM37 is a sporty exclusive elegant cruiser which combines extraordinary qualities with an unmistakable beauty. Built by Quintessence Yachts, licensed by Aston Martin, near Southampton, the AM37 has a deep V hull, whose design specifically reduces friction with water. The yacht is manufactured using the latest in composite technologies and infused epoxy resin and it features many carbon fibre mouldings. The result is a strong light hull able to stand any stress even at high speed.

The deck seems to take shape around the windscreen. Here, the influence of Aston Martin designers is palpable. The windscreen has been created from a single piece of brown glass and, together with the rest of the structure which completes it laterally, it wraps the entire beam from the pilot station to the rear sofa.

The double curvature of the structure, the elegant teardrop layout of the deck and the bright paint of the deadwork melting with teck immediately recall automotive atmospheres. The 8 passengers that can he hosted on board can enjoy a rear forward-facing C-shaped sofa and a seat located next to the pilot’s one. Between the latter and the sofa, a bar cabinet makes the cruise even more comfortable. Between the two front seats there’s the access to interiors.

Traditional Aston Martin styling elements are echoed in the leather elements of the bar cabinet coatings, the details on the steering wheel, the dashboard, levers and the particular leather handle which makes access below deck easier. Needless to say that the pilot station is the most evocative place about the origins of this motorboat: its clear leather seats are enveloping and ergonomic, the steering wheel echoes elements from Aston Martin’s most advanced sports cars to the point we could instinctively look for the brake and clutch pedals if our right hand didn’t find the linkages of the two engines or the steering joystick.

The two screens located both over and on the side of the steering wheel provide with a complete range of information linked to sailing. Every detail on the deck, from the folding cleats to the astern honeycomb grills, contributes to complete this extraordinary whole.

Moreover, the boat is equipped with remote controlled devices by which you can start the air conditioning and fridge from your smartphone. The user interface of the multimedia and entertainment system is installed in the 15′ HD touchscreen on the dashboard. This can be used by all guests to manage the sound system, lighting and appliances.

The whole zone contained in the windscreen can be closed at the end of the day thanks to an extraordinary system including three remote controlled carbon sliding panels. This way, you can protect the bridge from atmospheric agents and uninvited guests while the carbon bimini opening system would merit another article.

Interiors include a lounge which can be converted into a berth, over which a tv screen linked to a small server allows to organise an on-board film library.

A microwave oven and a coffee machine are on the left. Two longitudinal skylights flood interiors with natural light while finishings and rosewood furniture show extraordinary quality. Only the bathroom, featuring a more traditional style, reminds us we’re on a  boat.

” Power, beauty and soul”: that’s the Aston Martin’s slogan. So, we just need to talk about power. The AM37 can be fitted with two Mercury 370 HP engines which ensure a 45-knot maximum speed or two Mercury 520 HP engines (AM37S) for a top speed of over 50 knots. Both the two versions are equipped with Bravo Three XR sterndrives with a counter-rotating dual propeller arrangement.