It’s rare to see a car company producing something that does not include wheels. But a few years ago Toyota’s Marine Department invited Toyota Motor Corporation’s president, Akio Toyoda, to spend a few days piloting a range of premium yachts. Mr. Toyoda was so impressed that it was his mission to build the first Lexus Sport Yacht.
Debuting in Miami Beach, Florida, the Lexus Sport Yacht is a running, “proof-of-concept” that is distinctly a Lexus product. The Sport Yacht was created to be a recreational tourer that can accommodate up to eight guests. Twin Lexus high-performance V-8s lifted from the company’s GS F and RC F totaling 885 horsepower, power the craft and it is capable of hitting a top speed of 43 knots (49 mph.)
Using partially traditional yacht building techniques, Lexus married the Sport Yacht with techniques used in the LFA supercar such as hand-laid woven carbon fiber cloth and a composite material called “carbon fiber reinforced plastics” to save almost 2,200 pounds, which not only improved the overall strength of the Sport Yacht, but also reduced the resistance and drag at high speeds.
Would you like to see the Lexus Sport Yacht in our fleet?
