Sanlorenzo SX120 Yacht Expands Crossover Range & Future-Proofs Propulsion

When the Sanlorenzo SX series of crossover yachts premiered, clients quickly gravitated toward the reallocation of space. As the new flagship, the Sanlorenzo SX120 yacht series continues thinking differently towards decks, but also how you cruise from harbor A to harbor B. In fact, it’s the first superyacht featuring a new Volvo Penta IPS system prepared for a mix of power sources. This means everything from renewable fuels to hybrid or entirely electric solutions.

Like her predecessors, the Sanlorenzo SX120 yacht features design by Zuccon International Project and Piero Lissoni. The balanced nature of the decks keeps this 120-footer (36.6-meter) seeming sleeker than she is, a superyacht containing four decks. You’ll find highly coveted features like an expandable beach area with an infinity pool. Folding platforms aft and to each side turn it into 753 square feet (70 square meters) of leisure, from 430 square feet (40 square meters). Additionally, the shipyard devised a lift-and-slide deck mechanism that covers and uncovers the pool.

Whether you climb the stairs to the aft-deck lounge or head down into another optional lounge (which can swap out for a fourth guest stateroom), the yacht offers great flexibility of design. “The SX120 is a spectacular floating architecture,” says Piero Lissoni of Lissoni & Partners. “We took all the things the other SXs taught us and put them here. It has beaches, floors that interconnect, big openings.”

For instance, the dining area on the main deck is airy and open on three sides. You can have yet another dining area on the upper deck, enclosed and with all-around views. If that doesn’t suit you, instead make it a kids’ play area or a TV/movie lounge. Regardless, you’ll relish your private oasis fully forward on the main deck. It doesn’t just have large windows; it further has access to a private bow area. Outfit it as a super-secluded sunning space or a cozy coffee and cocktails area complete with a table and settee.

Of all the leisure spaces aboard the Sanlorenzo SX120 yacht, the shipyard is most pleased with what it calls the Smart Island. This modular seating area on the flying bridge quickly converts into a variety of configurations. You therefore can make it as social or as secluded as you wish.

That same sensibility extends throughout the interior. For the first hull, Lissoni & Partners is incorporating detailed woodwork for wall paneling resembling quills. A steel-like film is interspersed vertically, too, for modern flair. Along those same lines, a steel-clad, sculptural wooden stairway leads from the main deck to the upper deck. Piero Lissoni personally designed it. The ultimate showpiece, however, is the backlit headboard in the master suite. It doubles as a dividing wall between the sleeping area and the en suite head.

Importantly, Sanlorenzo is keeping an eye on the future in terms of technology. When Volvo Penta announced the IPS Professional Platform a little over a year ago, the shipyard stepped up as the first customer. Briefly, the IPS Professional Platform is the largest and most powerful in the IPS range, for superyachts upwards of 180 feet (55 meters). It has the same benefits as the smaller units that have been in the marketplace for the past two decades. Namely, it has a smaller footprint compared to traditional inboard shaft arrangements. Simultaneously, it pledges up to 40 percent longer cruising ranges and 20 percent higher top speeds. Specifically, the Sanlorenzo SX120 yacht should see a top end of 23 knots. All the while, it burns about 30 percent less fuel and has lower emissions. An additional exhaust-treatment system to comply with IMO emissions regulations augments it.

Furthermore, the IPS Professional Platform currently can run on diesel or biofuel, plus adapt for hybrid or fully electric propulsion. Whatever the power source, it comes with an Eco Mode function. Eco Mode automatically detects and adapts the engine and fuel needs while the yacht is underway. Finally, this mode monitors engine hours and fuel burn over time, tapping the powerplant that has run the least for different situations.

A distinctive feature of the platform is the Eco Mode function, which is a new smart feature that automatically adjusts engine power based on real-time demand to optimize fuel consumption, reduce emissions and mechanical wear. The platform will consider optimal fuel consumption and engine run-time hours to engage the engine with the least hours for a given scenario. This will improve efficiency, and extend service/maintenance intervals.

Hull number one of the new SX flagship debuts at September’s Cannes Yachting Festival. “SX120 represents the natural evolution of a range that has changed the way yachting is conceived and redefined the experience of living on board, introducing a new idea of space, livability, and connection with the sea,” says Tommaso Vincenzi, Sanlorenzo’s CEO.

Lissoni & Partners lissoniandpartners.com

Sanlorenzo sanlorenzoyacht.com

Zuccon International Project zucconinternationalproject.com