Beneteau America announces the renewal of the Gran Turismo range of express cruisers with two new models launching next February.

Elegance, performance, quality and top-level finish guaranteed: the new generation of Gran Turismo developed by Beneteau is full of surprises. The new GT40 and GT46 represent the ultimate evolution in the sport cruiser concept. Harmonious throughout, every detail of the new Gran Turismo underlines the balance between strong sporting character and luxurious yet practical life on board.

A winning concept by design

To create these new yachts, Beneteau continued its partnership with the well-known designers Nuvolari and Lenard. In addition to their notoriety for multiple famous yacht designs, the Italian designers have already penned multiple boats in the Beneteau family, including the Monte Carlo range.

Combining the protection of an enclosed boat and the sensations of an open craft, the Gran Turismo 40 and Gran Turismo 46 both have a hard top which can be electrically opened by the touch of a button. The cockpit easily accommodates over a dozen guests, while the powered top amplifies the feeling of open space and lets the sun shine in on nice days. Both cockpits easily convert into a sun lounge.

 The boat features another outdoor seating area at the bow with adjustable backrests on the foredeck. The GT46 takes the execution further with an optional sliding door to fully enclose the cockpit. No detail has been overlooked.

Industry-leading performance

In a marriage of speed and style, the new Gran Turismo 40 is as pleasant to admire as she is to drive. Enhancing both visibility and comfort, the Gran Turismo 40 has a center helm station with additional seating on either side. Designed to stand out on the water, her lines are accentuated by a streamlined hull designed to provide industry-changing performance, efficiency and comfort. These best in class performance characteristics are a result of the latest generation of Beneteau-patented Air Step hull design. This is a sport cruiser that can comfortably and safely exceed speeds of 40 mph. The Volvo-Penta stern drive system comes standard with joystick docking functionality.

For the first time in the industry, the Gran Turismo 46 offers a step hull design in conjunction with Volvo Penta IPS propulsion technology. This boat is also available with stern drive capability further demonstrating the industrial capacity and research and development commitment from the Beneteau shipyard.

Top-of-the-line features and accommodations

Departing both boats via vast aft swim platforms is particularly functional onboard these sport cruisers. Whether you leave the boat by tender or by jumping in the water, the 4 foot deep platforms have electric and hydraulic lowering capability. A feature normally found on much larger yachts.

On the Gran Turismo 40, the layout of the lower deck provides a feeling of space and functionality which has never been seen before on a boat of this size. Two separate cabins provide privacy for guests and impressiveheadroom. Midship offers access to a functional galley and table-top seating below deck. The onboard head features a separate shower stall offering a best effort to date on space in the washroom. The GT46 provides more living space below deck with more galley space and the addition of a second head attached to the VIP cabin.

 Join Beneteau at the North American debut of these new yachts at the Miami Boat Show on Collins Avenue, February 11-15 2016.

http://www.beneteauamerica.com/Powerboats/Gran-Turismo