Fast & Furious One-Off Superyacht Lives Up to the Name, Will Have You Basking in Luxury

In keeping with the cliché of “size doesn’t matter,” meet the superyacht Fast & Furious. It’s the only one of its kind in the world, was delivered by Italian shipyard AB Yachts in 2015, and was built with an eye on stellar performance and utmost luxury, within a smaller form factor. It delivers on both accounts, and in so doing, it totally lives up to its name – even though it has no connection with the film franchise it was named after, except for the speed.

AB Yachts is a relatively new superyacht yard, but already a staple in the industry. It specializes in smaller vessels that pack quite a punch in terms of speed, and its lineup includes model AB 80, AB 100, and AB 120, where the names indicate sizes measured in feet. AB 145, aka the Fast & Furious, is the only one in this size – and as it so happens, it’s also for sale.

Delivered in 2015, Fast & Furious is almost a brand-new boat, even considering that it’s been offered for charter for the most part of these years. If Italian performance and styling rank high with a buyer with many millions to spare, this superyacht is asking €16,995,000 as of the time of press, or close to $18.2 million at the current exchange rate. Its listing on the market makes for a great opportunity for the rest of us non-billionaires to have a better, more thorough look at it.

Despite the fact that this vessel was built for speed, perhaps its most striking feature is the way in which it’s able to disguise elegance and luxury with a very aggressive, almost menacing exterior. At 44.5 meters (145 feet) in total length, AB 145 offers two decks and an interior volume of 338 GT, accommodation for ten guests across five cabins, separate quarters for seven crew members, and incredible stability even when traveling at full speed.

Comparatively speaking, it’s puny in comparison to other superyachts, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. As photos in the gallery will show, this vessel is incredibly stylish and very beautiful, with light woods and rich, colorful fabrics used throughout.

Amenities include a chase boat and a range of water toys, a fully-equipped gym, indoor and outdoor formal dining, socializing areas, and various lounges, both indoors and open-air. A large sundeck, ensuite bathrooms for all the guest rooms, and an owner’s suite with its own private deck, a walk-in wardrobe and a beautiful bathroom complete the list of amenities.

The naval architecture by AB Yachts is accompanied by interior design also by AB Yachts, and open-plan spaces and expansive glazing are favored, to allow guests to move freely from one area to another. All communal spaces and the master suite feature floor-to-ceiling windows that allow in natural light and offer the possibility of taking in the beautiful scenery regardless of your position in the room.

But where Fast & Furious really shines is when all its three MTU 16V2000 M94 engines (of 2,600 hp each) go full throttle. The vessel has a deep-V planing hull and is made with very lightweight materials like carbon fiber, kevlar and carbon fiber, so it’s able to fly on water at a top speed of 42 knots (48.3 mph / 77.7 kph). Let’s see any one of those gigantic vessels try and do that.

Cruising speed is equally impressive at 38 knots (43.7 mph / 70.3 kph), and range is estimated at 750 nautical miles (863 miles / 1,389 km) when it’s maintained. AB Yachts made sure Fast & Furious can go all out on the water with zero vibrations and with perfect stability, which is to say, the level of comfort remains the same for guests regardless of whether they’re cruising or going full speed.

One year after launch, Fast & Furious was twice shortlisted at the 2016 World Superyacht Awards and the Showboat Design Awards. Even today, it remains among the 5% superyachts in the world, ranked by speed, and that should probably be all the convincing a millionaire with their heart set on adrenaline rushes would need to pick up the phone.

But more than a fast superyacht, Fast & Furious stands out as the complete package: a beautiful, surprising vessel designed with an eye for the sleek and elegant, which offers very luxurious interiors without treading into tacky territory, and is perfect for the perfect family vacation (*if you can afford it). Prior to it being offered for sale, charter rates for it started at €189,000 per week, not including expenses, so yes, all these nice things came at a price to match.