It’s not unheard of for car engines to power boats. Our minds are immediately drawn to the magnificent Riva Aquarama speedboat built in the ’60s for Lamborghini founder Ferruccio Lamborghini, powered by not one but two of his company’s V12s. Now, there’s a speedboat with power from a Porsche road car, but it might not be what you’re hoping for.
This is the 850 Fantom, a collaboration between Porsche and Austrian boatbuilder Frauscher, and sadly, there’s not a howling naturally aspirated flat-six nestling in its (*Googles the word for the back of a boat*) stern. What you’ll find instead is the synchronous electric motor from the rear axle of the new EV-only Macan Turbo.
In the car, that motor, along with the one up front, contributes to a total of 630bhp. By itself in the boat, it’s making a still considerable 536bhp. That, apparently, will take it to a top speed of 56mph, which we can almost guarantee will feel a lot faster than it sounds when you’re skipping across the surface of Lake Como (because, let’s face it, that’s where all of these are going to end up, and not, say, Rutland Water).
Dial that back to a steady 25mph, and you’ll manage around 28 miles of silent aquatic wafting, while if you’re just puttering around getting a suntan, you’ll apparently be able to manage up to 62 miles.
Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom
The 2.8-tonne, 28.4-foot long craft has seating for seven and also features a sunbathing deck and a handy platform out back from which you can dip into the warm waters of Como/freezing waters of Lake Windermere.
Other Porsche touches include one of the manufacturer’s steering wheels and a highly Instagram-friendly spec borrowed from Porsche’s catalogue: an Oak Green Metallic body with Truffle Brown upholstery.
It’s the latest in several tie-ins between the two companies, and just 25 will be produced. The price? Somewhere around $475,000, which would buy you a whole lot of Porsche road car. Still, we’re sure all 25 will have no problem finding buyers.
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