It is, concedes Francis Lapp, founder of Gdańsk-based Sunreef Yachts, a very James Bond kind of boat. Sunreef, better known as a maker of twin-hulled sailing yachts, has teamed up with Brabus to create a special edition of its 55-foot Ultima 55 boat, filtered through the German coachbuilder’s extreme automotive lens.
Sunreef Brabus Ultima 55
The result – the first collaboration between the two brands, with others under discussion – is very sleek, very black, with a carbon fibre exterior that’s part exposed just like a supercar. It’s a suitably gadget-laden vessel too, with platforms that extend out of the side of the boat while it’s at rest, enhancing its beam by two metres to create a beach club area, and a hidden gangway that also extends automatically at the touch of a button.
Sunreef Brabus Ultima 55
Inside there’s more of the same: an extendable and retractable carbon fibre table; sun loungers that convert into settees; a 43-inch TV that rises out of a countertop and floors accented in aluminium with illuminated Brabus logos.
A cabin on board the Ultima 55
A bathroom on board the Ultima 55
A cabin on board the Ultima 55
‘We wanted to collaborate with a brand that has a very specific design approach and implement that right across the boat,’ says Lapp, ‘The appeal comes from the resulting look but also the engineering.’
The engineer and entrepreneur founded Sunreef in 2022 as a catamaran specialist, with shipyards in Gdańsk and the UAE, where the Ultima 55 is built. One has been sold to date with two more sales on the cards. ‘The Brabus look also fits well with what is a particularly fast boat,’ Lapp continues.
On deck on the Sunreef Brabus Ultima 55
On deck on the Sunreef Brabus Ultima 55
On deck on the Sunreef Brabus Ultima 55
Indeed, the Brabus Ultima 55 is capable of 40 knots – unusually fast for a boat of this size - in part due to Sunreef’s advanced foiling system which lifts the vessel higher out of the water to reduce hydrodynamic drag, provide a smoother, quieter ride and improve stability. ‘It means the boat is more stable at speed, and speed is a large part of the appeal,’ Lapp continues.
Power comes from twin 725hp, six-cylinder marine engines that have modified by Brabus, renowned for their ability to upgrade and enhance high-end cars, particularly those from Mercedes-Benz.
Stability is also a key reason why clients might choose a catamaran over a mono-hulled boat, since it allows for something closer to a ‘house on the sea,’ as Lapp describes it. ‘People who want to spend a lot of time at sea want their vessel to be especially steady’.
Sunreef Brabus Ultima 55
The Brabus Ultima 55 will, it’s hoped, also extend both brands’ reach. For Brabus, it’s a gateway into the as-yet-untapped high-performance multihull category, following the smaller Shadow line that it co-developed with Axopar Boats and revealed earlier this year. For Sunreef, the venture takes the shipyard into the heart of yachting’s more luxury-forward, brand-conscious market.
Sunreef Brabus Ultima 55
‘Sunreef is known among its customers for its sustainability, those who love a sailing vessel with hybrid or electric engines,’ says Lapp. ‘But the Brabus boat is aimed at a different customer who is perhaps more passionate about cars and a certain kind of style’.
Sunreef-Yachts-Ultimate.com, @SunreefYachts, Brabus.com