Photo: Lateral Naval Architects
“Meaningful innovation starts with asking new questions.” That’s the mantra engineers at Lateral Naval Architects live by, and their impressive portfolio of highly-specialized commercial and paramilitary vessels is a testament to that. The UK-based studio has announced their latest superyacht design, called Spitfire, which was created in collaboration with Bannenberg & Rowell and is introduced as a superyacht concept that answers the demand of today’s owners for informal and flexible living.
Lateral Naval Architects was formed in 2018, so it’s a young company, but the core team has been operating under its parent company, BMT, for over 30 years. With their experience in designing and engineering some of the world’s most advanced marine vehicles, the team at Lateral now provides their expertise to the superyacht industry from project conception to delivery, so Spitfire is presented as a complete concept ready to be built.
Spitfire is a 157-foot (48-meter) superyacht proposition that pays homage to the iconic WW2 Spitfire combat aircraft, which played a pivotal role during the Battle of Britain in 1940 and was first created at the Supermarine factory located near Southampton, where Lateral’s offices are situated.
The conceptual vessel is built upon the same foundations as the 2018 award-winning BMT 150 BOLD Class, a 48-meter high-speed off-shore patrol vessel, which had been designed by BMT and built by Turkish shipyard Ares. This means Spitfire is equipped with an already tested and proven backbone. Speed, lightweight construction, and iconic design proportions are the three pillars this platform is built on.
It is combined with a hybrid electric architecture and a battery bank designed to enable silent operations, both at anchor and during sailing. Not many specific technical details have been provided, but it seems the vessel will have a beam of 28 feet (8.6 meters) and a draught of 6.9 feet (2.1 meters), with a gross tonnage of 499GT. It will be powered by twin MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines and will be able to reach speeds in excess of 23 knots (26 mph/ 43 kph).
The new superyacht’s exterior and interior design are signed off by London-based Bannenberg & Rowell Design, and the focus was on creating a vessel that offers a bespoke way of living, inviting relaxation, socialization, and connection to the sea. Described as a seagoing reinterpretation of its famed airborne ancestor, Spitfire boasts a sleek exterior design with long flowing lines from bow to stern that accentuate its streamlined silhouette.
From the renderings unveiled by the two studios involved in its developments, we can also notice the superyacht’s low bulwarks, the extensive use of glass that allow for panoramic views of the surrounding ocean, and modern living and lounging spaces finished in neutral colors.
“Marrying a hull possessing offshore pedigree with the requirements of a superyacht platform creates exciting opportunities; both from a design and technical perspective. This requires an evolved hull form, to meet the demands of a pleasure craft,” said Matteo Maghernini, Head of Business Development at Lateral.
Spitfire is a 157-foot (48-meter) superyacht proposition that pays homage to the iconic WW2 Spitfire combat aircraft, which played a pivotal role during the Battle of Britain in 1940 and was first created at the Supermarine factory located near Southampton, where Lateral’s offices are situated.
The conceptual vessel is built upon the same foundations as the 2018 award-winning BMT 150 BOLD Class, a 48-meter high-speed off-shore patrol vessel, which had been designed by BMT and built by Turkish shipyard Ares. This means Spitfire is equipped with an already tested and proven backbone. Speed, lightweight construction, and iconic design proportions are the three pillars this platform is built on.
It is combined with a hybrid electric architecture and a battery bank designed to enable silent operations, both at anchor and during sailing. Not many specific technical details have been provided, but it seems the vessel will have a beam of 28 feet (8.6 meters) and a draught of 6.9 feet (2.1 meters), with a gross tonnage of 499GT. It will be powered by twin MTU 16V 2000 M96L engines and will be able to reach speeds in excess of 23 knots (26 mph/ 43 kph).
The new superyacht’s exterior and interior design are signed off by London-based Bannenberg & Rowell Design, and the focus was on creating a vessel that offers a bespoke way of living, inviting relaxation, socialization, and connection to the sea. Described as a seagoing reinterpretation of its famed airborne ancestor, Spitfire boasts a sleek exterior design with long flowing lines from bow to stern that accentuate its streamlined silhouette.
From the renderings unveiled by the two studios involved in its developments, we can also notice the superyacht’s low bulwarks, the extensive use of glass that allow for panoramic views of the surrounding ocean, and modern living and lounging spaces finished in neutral colors.
“Marrying a hull possessing offshore pedigree with the requirements of a superyacht platform creates exciting opportunities; both from a design and technical perspective. This requires an evolved hull form, to meet the demands of a pleasure craft,” said Matteo Maghernini, Head of Business Development at Lateral.
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