Well, sort of—the Porsche Design Group, a subsidiary of the famed automaker and a renowned studio in its own right, is collaborating with a Singapore-based shipyard for a handful of superyachts, a first-ever move for the designers.
The builder is equally a newcomer to the megayacht market: Royal Falcon Fleet. Backed by Swedish investors, Royal Falcon Fleet was formally introduced earlier this year, with the intention of bringing the latest technology and cutting-edge design to the industry.
The latter is where Porsche Design Group comes in—and while the profile here isn’t my cup of tea, there’s no denying the look is industry-shattering. Dubbed the RFF 135, the yacht is a 135-foot catamaran, the first of what’s expected to be several catamarans and traditional monohull megayachts the two companies will produce. Porsche Design Group is also responsible for the interior, though no renderings have been released yet.
Lest you think Royal Falcon Fleet intends to break all rules when it comes to yacht building, the yard is tapping firms with expertise in the marine field. Kockums, a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp, is providing engineering. Based in Sweden, Kockums designs and builds submarines and naval surface vessels; its parent company also owns famed yacht yard Blohm + Voss. Royal Falcon Fleet has also partnered with Incat Crowther for the RFF 135’s naval architecture. Based in Australia, Incat Crowther has extensive experience designing high-speed catamarans for use as workboats, passenger ferries, and yachts.
Australia is also where a scale model of the RFF 135 has been tank tested, validating the intended 35-knot “sprint speed,” according to Porsche Design Group. Head-sea tests were also conducted over a range of “significant” wave heights and wave periods, the studio says.
So while we await the first photos of the megayacht, what are your thoughts on the design? Think there’s a market for something dramatically different? Or is it a big risk?
Mark Levinson
Radical design is an understatement! I happen to like it as it represents cutting edge design and technology. it would be fantasatic if a Green yacht design!