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WATCH: Lexus Sport Yacht concept, Japan’s 2018 Boat of the Year

By Randy
.
March 18, 2018

Lexus, a luxury brand of Toyota, went beyond making cars and crossovers when it unveiled its first ever watercraft early last year. It’s the bespoke Lexus Sport Yacht concept, and it recently was cited with a Boat of the Year title at the 2018 Japan International Boat Show.

In review, the Lexus Sport Yacht concept was made possible via the combined design and engineering efforts of Lexus Design, Toyota Marine (Toyota’s Japan-based watercraft division), and Marquis-Larson Boat Group (a USA-based yacht builder).

The watercraft boasts a 42 ft long, 13 ft wide body made of carbon-composite materials. It can accommodate up to 8 people and comes with an assortment of high-tech goodies, plus a huge helping of luxurious wood and leather amenities.

But the best part about the yacht is its 2 engines. It conquers the high seas with 2 V8 mills carried straight from the Lexus LC 500 sports car. The engines deliver a combined output of 885 hp, which enables the yacht to reach a maximum speed of 79 km/h, about 43 knots in marine terms.

Holding onto the initial success of the yacht, Lexus is keen on building its production model, slated for release by 2019. As regard, Toyota Motor Corporation Executive Vice President Shigeki Tomoyama was quoted as saying, “We’ve decided to take the next bold step of producing an all-new larger yacht that builds on the advanced nature of the concept while adding more comfort and living space. We plan to start sales in the U.S. in the latter half of 2019, with sales in Japan following in the spring of 2020.”

His statement holds true, considering Lexus’ initial plans for the yacht’s production version. As envisioned, it will be 23 ft longer than the prototype, although it’s not stated how wide it would be. It will also have staterooms below deck and an entertainment center good for 15 guests.

Moreover, Lexus will install what it calls the Mobility Services Platform (MSPF). It’s essentially an infotainment system with connectivity options, smartphone integration, boat security monitoring, boat diagnostics, and more.

Of note, Lexus has yet to release additional specs regarding the would-be produced yacht, though it said that it will announce the specs in detail later this year.

(Photos by Lexus Global. Video by Lexus UK YouTube Channel)

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About the Author

Randolph de Leon
Randy is a person with disability (PWD), a partially-blinded person with only his left eye functioning. Since childhood, the automobile has always been his passion, and is able to express it through photography and most recently, through writing as well. Outside the motoring beat, Randy spends time manning the media aspect of his business which he co-founded with his sister/college classmate. It's called Dragonlight Wellness and Solutions, a multi-business venture centering on improving peoples' lives through earning.