Sunseeker Portofino

[dancrane]

Am I alone, recoiling in HORROR at the picture of the new Sunseeker Portofino 38? Actually, I'm used to being repelled by this century's yacht styling touches, but Sunseeker's latest takes the cake. It's as hideous as the Chris Bangle-designed 7-series BMW was, when it emerged in 2003. That too had been a premium marque, whose sales plummeted because of wacky new styling that overlooked its conservative customer base.

The use of the Portofino name here is especially sad. In the 1980s, the P.25 and P.28 models were fabulously glamorous, sexy speedsters. And Sunseeker still knows HOW to do it...they did a fine job with the Thunderhawk not so long ago. But this new model is a pig. It's about as sexy as a caravan. I can't believe the journalist's tag beneath the photo I saw; "Sunseeker hopes to boost sales with its new model..." - was the guy joking?

 

[Firefly625]

look, in many ways I am the last person to comment on this, I don't get sports cruisers, never have done, never will do, but as a sports cruisers not sure what is so offensive about this... if thats your bag.... ?

Oh, I'm sorry, above is the 48ft'er

this is the 38ft'er...

is it that different?

 

[Bojangles]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I for one think that is a cracking looking boat, I hope SS have got it right and sell plenty of them.

 

[Ripster]

C'mon... whether you like sports cruisers or not and I appreciate beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that but, she is hardly a minger... looks OK I think.

 

[dancrane]

Thanks for that photo...and for the illuminating comparison beween the two sizes in the same style. The bigger boat certainly looks better - unsurprisingly. If a designer insists on a high, covered wheel area, then the littler the vessel, the dafter she'll look. Still, it's been done before, on much shorter boats than this smaller Portofino, without looking so awkward.

I think it's the bat-mobile styling I object to here, mainly because Sunseekers used to look so hot. There's no question these new boats catch the eye, but so would a big inflatable Homer Simpson head on the radar gantry. Not cool. This designer has tried too hard for striking style. A big thumb down, sorry.

 

[[2068]]

It's almost a thumbs up from me.

Unfortunately, it does look like it has had an impact with a low bridge that has pushed the windscreen back a couple of feet from where it should be.

 

[Bojangles]

I think sometimes we pay maybe slightly too much attention to looks alone, when other aspects are maybe more appealing to others. I would imagine that the SS brand is fairly inviting to some and given they don't have other boats at this size it will be seen as an ideal entry level sports cruiser to that marque. Sealine have had mixed reviews about their styling, personally I like it and am considering a new one, but admitedly I have thought long and hard about it due to some negative comments (thinking of resale values)

I would be delighted to buy a new British built boat and I admire manufacturers that bring radical change to the market, maybe not because I instantly love the styles but because someone has bucked the trend. What would cars look like if only slight changes were made over the years?

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

While the looks of the this sport cruiser are great; most of the sales will depend how it can compete with the likes of Sealine, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Galeon, Sessa, Absolute, and Atlantis. You can also put Nord West and Windy there but these have much lower production numbers and may be here a higher price can be justified.
If the price will be too high this sport cruiser will be a failure as much as the 35 Portofino was which looked also as a small 46 Portofino, had great looks and nice intererior. But for a scratch of its price you could buy a 40 Targa, Princess V42, or an Atlantis 42.
It will all depend on the price....

 

[JKay]

base price of £295k http://www.motorboatsmonthly.co.uk/news/516085/sunseeker-to-launch-new-entry-level-sportscruiser

 

[MRC]

£295k ex tax looks quite fair compared to previous Sunseeker entry boats. Ie portofino 35 & superhawk 43s. Good to see the bringing out smaller boats.

 

[dancrane]

A partial retraction

Okay, gentlemen; just realised the image of the Portofino 38 I saw yesterday, was ridiculously foreshortened by its marginalised depiction on my laptop's screen. Not my fault, or indeed Sunseeker's. It looked about as slick as a portable toilet cubicle.

Honestly, I still don't like the bulbous round-topped side-windows, or those weird curving haunches round the cockpit, and the 38 looks a lot too tall for its length. Reminds me of a very large bluebottle. The smaller Portofinos, in the 'eighties, were sexy; this new boat looks to me more like design senility, than evolution on a theme.

Still, best of luck to 'em; in time maybe Sunseeker will flip back to styling I like. You have to forgive fashion all its faults...because it dies so young.

 

[MRC]

Plus that 5 maybe 6 berth layout looks good for a sub 40 ft sportscruiser. Boats usually look better in the flesh than the artists impressions.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

base price of £295k http://www.motorboatsmonthly.co.uk/news/516085/sunseeker-to-launch-new-entry-level-sportscruiser

This is not cheap. Will cost 400,000 EUROS included VAT. The Sealine is about 100k cheaper loaded with options. Same goes for a Fairline 38 Targa.

 

[AdeOlly]

This is not cheap. Will cost 400,000 EUROS included VAT. The Sealine is about 100k cheaper loaded with options. Same goes for a Fairline 38 Targa.

Indeed it is not cheap at all. Base price of a Sealine SC38 with 2xD4 (300) is £212k ex VAT. Even if the Sunseeker is well loaded it'll still be pricey.

As to the looks, I like quite like it, though nothing remarkable.

 

[SolentPhill]

£295k plus vat is £354k and would be base no extras so in the water will be £400k For a 38ft boat. They are taking £5k deposits for build schedules

 

[dancrane]

£400K? Tell me that's not for the 38 footer!

Anybody know what that new open Riva will cost? That's a great looking boat.

 

[[2068]]

Ouch. That will be competing with the upcoming SC42.
I know which I would choose.