Toyota Reveals Its Newest... Boat, the Ponam-31

No, we’re not surprised we’re talking about boats instead of “munching” some “four-wheeler snacks”. You see, the days when cars were simply cars are over. We’re living the times of "anybody does everything", thus we have Toyota boats, Honda airplanes and Ferrari chess plates.

And mind you, alongside the millions of cars they make, the Japanese company also creates a long range of products, such as robots, sewing machines and has expanded into industries as diverse as prefabricated housing to telecommunications to forestry. This is why designing boats is not even a surprise anymore.

Now, according to its creators, the Ponam-31 belongs to a new class of boat, the sports utility cruiser. This means it’s a high-performance boat with comfortable accommodation for up to 12 people, that’s suitable for fishing expeditions and cruising alike. Made out of a 31-foot high-strength aluminum hull, the vessel is powered by two, 3.0-liter direct-injection diesel engines derived from the Land Cruise Prado.

It costs Lamborghini money

The engines feature optimized turbochargers, intercoolers and fuel injector which help ensure that emission, noise and vibrations are minimized. “The boat reflects Toyota’s years of experience of incorporating complex curved surfaces into vehicle design and presents a solid and elegant form. Even the rear deck rail evokes the look of a car spoiler,” the vessel is described by its maker.

For those who have the extra money to spend, optional extras include systems adapted from Toyota’s automotive technologies, such as the pilot support system and the automatic piloting control system that holds the boat in position or maintain the heading of the bow. The Ponam-31 will cost you around £170,000 ($273,400 or EUR 215,600) which means you won’t afford a new car, as well...