Sales of the VQ40 motoryacht are booming with the Vanquish yard in the Netherlands working at full production to meet demand. What’s the secret behind this fast and composite driver’s boat, seventeen of which have been ordered within the first year?
From Sag Harbor to Ibiza, from the first VQ40s are already causing a sensation with their striking personalised colour schemes designed by Osiris Hertman. Outboard and inboard models alike are turning heads with their impressive speed, awesome agility and elegant appearance. Onlookers gasp in admiration, or call their broker…
Vanquish has made its name over the past seven years for sleek and powerful sports boats in aluminium. The decision in the summer of 2019 to add a composite option to its fleet was a bold move. While the Dutch yard has successfully introduced two GRP models with the VQ11 and VQ16 tender scooters, all the larger Vanquish boats in a fleet that ranges from 45 to 80 feet are fully customisable due to the use of aluminium.
Compact power
Offering such a high degree of bespoke flexibility at 40 feet can be prohibitively expensive. The VQ40 offers a compact version of the Vanquish brand with all the qualities of finish and handling that make it special, opening up Vanquish power and excitement to an even wider audience. More boats can be built at a faster pace, which is just as well as the only limit on the number of VQ40s orders to date has been the speed at which they can be finished, such has been the demand.
This success story was not achieved in isolation. Feedback from VQ clients old and new played a big part. So too did the ability of Dutch designer Guido de Groot to translate the signature lines and powerful looks of the larger Vanquish models into this 40-feet beauty. And then there is the sleek stepped hull designed by the award-winning naval architects at Bakewell-White Yacht Design, specialists in high-performance hulls from New Zealand. Their work on the VQ40 has helped ensure an unrivalled acceleration and a boat that excels in terms of wave riding skills, handling and manoeuvrability.
Stateside success
Another major plus point for owners is the way the yard has translated the legendary spray rail technology of larger Vanquish yachts over to the VQ40, ensuring everyone onboard stays dry even at high speeds. This is one of the reasons that the VQ40 has been such an instant hit in the United States, where weather conditions on the water can change so quickly. American owners also love the multifunctionality of the VQ40, enhanced by the choice between inboard and outboard engines.
The triple Verado 450R outboards offer serious power and a blistering top speed of at least 62 knots, and there’s also a Veloce version for those looking to go even faster. The VQ40 is the first Vanquish capable of joining the annual poker run from Miami to the Bahamas.
Inboard action
The inboard models are superb for embracing the al fresco life, with lots of options for family and friends to lounge, lunch and party on the spacious aft deck. The low draught increases access to smaller harbours, another reason why the model is ideal for chartering when not being used by the owner. Up to fourteen people can come aboard, constantly refreshed by two or three fridges as required.
In addition to the propulsion, all VQ40s can be personalised in terms of their interior style, upholstery and colour scheme. With a smart extended outdoor galley and a toilet/shower below deck, the VQ40 is as versatile as it is vibrant.
Growing fast
While catering for a whole new generation of fans with the VQ40, Vanquish continues to set a blistering pace with a wide range of orders for its bespoke aluminium models, hand-built by the yard’s craftsmen in the Netherlands. Work has started on a fully custom VQ80 SportFish, ordered as a chase boat for Project SkyFall, a 60-metre superyacht in build at Heesen. Various models of the VQ58 are in production after the successful delivery of a Hard-top model to Estonia in a Gulf Racing light blue livery, a sensational white VQ58 T-top to Miami and a dark blue VQ58 Hard-top to Sag Harbor with a side garage for a VQ11.
The first VQ52 T-Top landed in the Balearics this summer and four more are currently in build for delivery to Lake Geneva, Mallorca, the US and Ibiza (the latter being the very first half-open-top model). Sales of the VQ50 and VQ45 also continue to impress, with a further boost expected by the new option to add a totally bespoke interior to these models too.
