Quite private, and therefore with an air of mystery, Enigma is nonetheless one of the more fascinating megayachts afloat. Her 244-foot (74.5-meter) length is as impressive today as it was at delivery in 1991, an era when yachts half her size were eyebrow-raising. Her styling and engineering put her in a category by herself, too. The yacht-buying public is getting a more public opportunity to explore her decks, and consider her for themselves, this week during the Monaco Yacht Show. Enigma is among a variety of megayachts in the central-agency display of Edmiston.
Enigma launched under the name Eco, the prized possession of the late Emilio Azcarraga Milmo, a Mexican media baron. She was a familiar sight to businesspeople and tourists in New York’s Financial District, docked at North Cove Marina through much of the 1990s. Heads turned for more than just the sheer size of the megayacht. More so, they turned because of the dramatic convex, and complex, ports, penned by Martin Francis. Pane after pane on three decks bows outward, as atypical as they are amazing. Even today, 25 years after her delivery from Blohm+Voss, they’ve never been replicated.
Equally atypical is the megayacht’s performance. Even though interior details have changed since Eco became Enigma (and Katana in between), her sheer power has not. A total of 18,500 hp coming from her Deutz engines, plus a gas turbine kicking in thousands more, push her to a reported 35-knot top speed. Furthermore, at 12 knots, she can achieve a reported 4,000-nautical-mile range. Just imagine this 244-footer, with a 37-foot (11.2-meter) beam, practically flying across the horizon.
Actually, no need to imagine it. Enigma shows off her performance prowess in this video. You also get to see the serene interior. As much as her styling was—and remains—unconventional, her general arrangement is equally so. The main deck is home to guest staterooms, for example, with the full upper deck for the owners. The master suite includes a lounge as well as a private alfresco dining area. What’s termed the panoramic deck, one level up, includes a saloon and a gym. The 15 guests who can stay aboard Enigma need not rely solely on the gym to stay in shape, though. Keep an eye out for the basketball hoop on the aft deck. It was installed by Silicon Valley exec Larry Ellison, who owned the yacht when she was known as Katana. Originally, the expansive aft deck was home to a seaplane.
Asking price for Enigma: €47.5 million (about $53.375 million at press time).
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