Evo V8 Is One of This Year's Most Sought-After Millionaire Toys: Hides a Neat Surprise

Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on what is bound to be one of this year's most praised vessels, Evo Yachts' V8. It's nothing more than a 78-foot (23 m) floating haven designed to be someone's escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Now, the V8 has been in the news before, but most recently, Northrop & Johnson, one of the industry's leading brokerage firms, listed the V8 as being up for sale. Best of all, it's a fresh unit scheduled for launch in 2024. In short, if you've got the bucks for this puppy, you can be the first owner.

What are we in for, you say? Well, there are plenty of reasons why I chose to bring the V8 to light, and one of them is its inclination toward outdoor living. Aside from the main lounge sitting in the center of the ship and the lower-deck staterooms, every inch of this vessel is designed to have you soaking up the sun, lounging around, and sipping the best bubbly money can buy. Why not launch some toys into the surrounding waters and go nuts?

For starters, I want to direct your attention to that beautiful rear lounge and beach club; take a moment to really soak up what we see. Notice the way the hull wraps around this space, offering a feeling of intimacy even though it's completely exposed? That's all thanks to the minds and hands at Evo.

While we're hanging out at the beach club, I want to point out that once you've found that hidden bay you've been looking for and have decided to finally settle in for the night or the next few days, you'll be able to unfold two platforms integrated into the V8's hull. In the process, you'll unveil two wonderful diving platforms which also extend the surface area of this already ample space.

Take a moment to picture yourself with up to seven other of your closest souls, watching the setting sun over the horizon, with a glass of champagne in hand, music in the background, all the while, the waves underneath make everything feel as though you're floating on air. Maybe you are, fluid mechanics and all; wink-wink.

Once you've had your fill of the setting sun or hugging it out with your significant other, it's time to turn our faces toward the rest of the vessel and explore what's in store. It's at this stage that we'll be able to witness the rest of the magic Evo has integrated into the V8's design.

For example, if you're a guest aboard this ship, access to the owner's quarters is not for you, so you'll find yourself taking a step or two upward to the main deck. If, however, you're the lucky owner of such a machine, from the beach club, you have the possibility of accessing your stateroom.

That's right; owners of a V8 will have the pleasure of simply walking out on the ship's aft deck without any obstructions whatsoever. Imagine waking up, sliding black glass doors open, and this time, where you once watched the setting sun, are now enjoying an espresso and breakfast in the rays of a new day.

Speaking of the sun's rays, I want to direct your attention to the main lounge in the center of the ship. However, not the inside of it, but rather the space found on top. I'm talking about that sun deck on top of the V8; how the heck is anyone supposed to access this space? By use of a "vanishing" hydraulic step ladder, which also lets you choose who has access to your private crow's nest; this is that "neat surprise" I was talking about. You can also maneuver the ship from up here via the console hidden behind a pair of beds.

Back on the main deck, more lounge options are found at the bow of the ship, but by now, you're probably sizzling and need some shade. Removable biminis can be adopted, but I think it's time to have a seat on a cool leather couch in the safety and privacy of that black glass found along all the walls of the main lounge. Kick back for a moment and enjoy the simple yet tastefully modern interior styling.

Now, as you strolled through the images in the gallery, I'm sure you noticed that there are countless helm stations aboard this ship; in total, four areas are available. There's one on the sun deck, another at the front of the main lounge, and yet another two stations are found outside and at the rear of the main deck.

It's these latter two stations that I feel compelled to bring to your attention. Not only is this the place where you can feel this ship's strength and grace, but you'll be able to manage it all via carbon fiber helms. If you've wanted to see what it's like to be a pirate, this might be just the ship you've been waiting for.

All the grace you'll feel will be provided by a fiberglass hull with a Deep Vee design and the presence of two 1,000-hp Volvo Penta IPS 1350 engines. The only downside is that this vessel can only handle 400 nautical miles of cruising at a speed of 19 knots (22 mph). Punching it, 24 knots (28 mph) is the top speed, but the range is sure to drop.

So, how much can we expect to pay for this floating kingdom? Well, no one is dropping any numbers at this time; neither Evo nor Northrop & Johnson have a visible price for the V8. Still, sources say that around $4.8M to $5M (€4.6 at current exchange rates) is what future owners can expect to drop on a standard V8. Upgrades are sure to stretch that number a bit further. But, at the end of the day, you'll be the proud owner of a ship that's sure to be the center of attention this year.