Italian Mogul’s Incredible 30-Knot Superyacht Traveled the World in Three Years

Giuseppe Balducci founded the family business that would become the Overmarine Group. In 1985, the Mangusta brand was born as a straightforward rival for Tecnomarine's Cobra, the most popular open yacht at the time. Even the name reflected its spirit of competition – in nature, the mongoose ("mangusta" in Italian") is the cobra's biggest enemy.

The Mangusta 80 quickly became an icon, breaking the norm with remarkable length (unprecedented for open yachts), paving the way for the famous Maxi Open yachts. By the mid-2000s, the Italian builder realized that most customers wanted to be able to explore more, which translated to greater range without sacrificing speed.

In 2014, the Mangusta 165 sported an innovative configuration with quadruple engines and powerful waterjets. Still, at that time, any Mangusta yacht that needed to cross the Atlantic had to be carried on a transport ship.

The greatest turning point came four years later, in 2018, with the Mangusta 54m GranSport launch. This incredibly attractive and powerful pleasure craft finally brought the much-coveted transatlantic capabilities to the Mangusta brand. Officially a long-range displacement yacht, the 177-foot (54 meters) new vessel combined ocean-crossing capabilities with the Mangusta traditional prowess, translated in thrilling speeds of more than 30 knots (34.5 mph/55.5 kph).

A serial yacht owner, and loyal Mangusta client, was immediately drawn to the young beast's potential. He purchased it in 2018 and named it El Leon. Not only a millionaire, the Italian coffee mogul who bought El Leon was also known for owning a road cycling team that competed in the UCI WorldTour. No stranger to the excitement of speed and performance, Massimo Zanetti was eager to put El Leon to the test. And he did.

For the next three years following the official debut, El Leon would travel more than 52,000 miles (83,685 km). It reached Alaska, crossed the Pacific, and cruised into the Indian Ocean during a spectacular world voyage that was officially documented. In addition to being Overmarine's flagship, El Leon became the first Mangusta to cross the Atlantic and travel around the world. It was better than any prestigious award.

At the heart of the GranSport 54 are its quad MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines, working in tandem with shafts and propellers. The new-generation engines enabled El Leon to go beyond 30 knots. According to its captain, this sports car on the water can cruise smoothly and quietly, even at an exhilarating speed of more than 25 knots (28.7 mph/46 kph). At the same time, El Leon can easily cover more than 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) at 12 knots (13.8 mph/22 kph).

Pierluigi Ausonio at PLANA (Pierluigi Ausonio Naval Architecture) designed El Leon’s high-performance hull. Known for designing hulls for the Navy, PLANA created a fast surface-piercing hull for this yacht. It means that the bulbous bow hits the water surface without planing and reduces hydrodynamic resistance, resulting in better performance at high speed.

Style-wise, El Leon is as luxurious and sophisticated as any millionaire's superyacht. The acclaimed Alberto Mancini created a laid-back yet extravagant onboard style. Large windows, leather ceilings, teak floors, precious woods, and lacquered furniture are some of the high-end elements giving life to El Leon. It can accommodate more than ten guests across five cabins.

Configured for both play and work, El Leon comes with two offices. One is traditionally placed inside the master suite, while the other is a separate room hiding behind a sliding door. A fold-down balcony offers more intimacy for the master suite. The master suite en-suite bathroom reveals a beautiful skylight, which is actually the glass bottom of the pool above.

This fancy infinity pool, located on the foredeck, fills in 45 minutes and can be emptied in just five minutes in case of an emergency. On a regular basis, it can be emptied in one hour. Despite its muscular, streamlined silhouette, El Leon is all about lavish spaciousness.

This yacht's outdoor spaces unfold over nearly 3,000 square feet (273 square meters). The beach club offers a delightful space of 753 square feet (70 square meters), opening on three sides. The flybridge looks like a sculpture and took a lot of effort to be built out of aluminum. It offers generous space for al-fresco dining, lounging, and activities such as yoga.

Even after traveling the world, this Italian beauty remains away from the spotlight. It's not available for charter and hasn't changed hands so far. With an estimated original price of around $30 million, El Leon proved to age like fine wine. A trailblazer for the Mangusta brand, and a unique sporty yacht with long-range capabilities, this GranTurismo of the Seas is already a living legend.