It’s probably not the news you were expecting to hear, but BMW has launched the world’s first all-glass flying yacht.
Built in collaboration with yacht manufacturer, Tyde, it’s a hydrofoil boat that looks like a supercar flying above the water.
Interesting fact: it’s called ‘The Icon’ as it’s actually powered by the same batteries you’d find under the hood of a BMW i3 – six of them to be precise.
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The Icon is a hydrofoil, which means it can lift itself from the water as its speed increases.
Apparently ‘foiling’ – where the hull is above the surface, not below like conventional boats – reduces the energy required by up to 80 per cent.
It’s powered by two 134-hp (100-kW) electric motors that, when combined with the six batteries, provide a total capacity of 240kWh, giving it a top speed of 30 knots – equivalent to around 55 km/h on land.
In terms of range, The Icon can cover 50 nautical miles (100 kilometers / 62 miles) on a charge.
Okay, they may not be record-breaking stats, but then again this boat isn’t designed for speed and power – it’s designed as a work of art and a toy for the mega rich.
Design-wise, the inspiration came from Japanese origami.
It has a pointy ‘nose’ and a larger section at the back.
Speaking of which, the stern is characterized by two key features: a vertical structure that looks like a car spoiler, and a sizable aft deck.
Each section of the exterior is adorned with LED lights to make it shine at night, and the result is outstanding.
The interior is gorgeous, just like the cabin of a supercar or a luxury sedan.
It follows the same color theme as the exterior, with ocean blue upholstery and gold-tone accents.
In the cabin, you’ll find six 360-degree rotating armchairs with individual tablets within arm’s reach, as well as plush sofas and soft suede carpeting.
In the middle of the deck, the command station has iDrive-style controls and voice control.
What’s more, you also get a 32-inch ‘infotainment’ touchscreen display with 6k resolution.
But the best part about it is the noise aka the ‘on-board soundscape’.
A while ago, BMW partnered up with Oscar-winning score composer Hans Zimmer to create custom soundtracks for its cars.
The partnership extends to other BMW’s vehicles as well, including this boat.
As you sail along, the boat produces notes composed by Hans Zimmer himself.
Now that does sound good.
