Fast and fabulous-looking is how Pershing yachts could be aptly described. The Italian builder is known for its stylish, silver-hulled sports boats that nimbly zip along at speeds exceeding 40 knots. While the combination of speed and style are a given in a Pershing, the builder sought to explore the possibility of offering more to its owners – specifically, more volume.

Cue the GTX80, which pairs thrilling performance and striking good looks with a spacious interior, seamless indoor-outdoor living and an enhanced connection to the water.

Pershing launched its GTX range in 2023 with the GTX116. For the GTX80, launched a year later, Pershing turned to Vallicelli Design to give a fresh perspective on the series by designing the 23.98m motoryacht inside and out.

Vallicelli Design has a long history of working with the Ferretti Group, Pershing’s parent company, on other yachts under the group’s banner, such as Wally’s wallywhy line and CRN superyachts. But this marked the first occasion that the Rome-headquartered studio turned its sights towards Pershing.

“Vallicelli Design worked in close contact with Ferretti Group’s Strategic Product Committee led by Piero Ferrari and its Engineering Department to produce an in-depth study of the proportions and so create a refined balance between the volumes of the superstructure and hull,” said Alessandro Tirelli, Chief Sales Officer of Serial Business Ferretti Group.

“Compared to our classic sport-fly boats, the Pershing GTX80 strikes the perfect balance between maximum utilisation of the interior volumes and excellent performance.”

GTX stands for Gran Turismo, with the X in the name giving a nod to Pershing’s fast-flying X series. It’s an intentional reference to the brand’s DNA, which was an inherent part of the brief for the exterior design.

Michelangelo Vallicelli, Chief Designer at Vallicelli Design, said: “The GTX80 needed to be instantly recognisable – you needed to be able to look at the yacht and know it’s a Pershing. But at the same time, it should be gentler than the very aggressive X sport line.”

Vallicelli was able to retain a familial resemblance while introducing new features, such as a near-vertical bow, which pairs nicely with a continuous, slightly convex sheer-line. “The aim of the brief,” Tirelli said, “was to unify Pershing’s signature style features with innovative choices.”

The classic Pershing grey paint colour is contrasted by a darker shade on the superstructure to give a subtle update to the colour scheme. Similarly, the carbon-fibre T-top above was chosen (as an option) for its light weight to enhance performance and for its aesthetic qualities.

The brief also called for a large beach club aft and the ability to carry a tender and jet ski. This required the interior volume of the yacht to shift forward towards the bow, which gives the GTX80 a unique profile that sets her apart.

While a typical X series yacht has a low-slung superstructure set towards the stern of the boat and a long bow, the superstructure of the GTX80 juts further forward and the arch-shaped deckhouse seems to sit a bit more upright. This is topped by a 23sqm flybridge, which Tirelli says is 60 per cent larger than the category average.

At the stern, the Pershing GTX80’s bulwarks serve a dual function, first by hiding the winches and cleats away to keep things looking sleek and streamlined, and they also unfold to convert into lateral terraces. This connection to the water is further enhanced by the yacht’s layout, which sees the beach club make way to a spacious 14sqm cockpit that flows imperceptibly from the main saloon.

“The Pershing GTX80 is very much focused on what this yacht can offer in terms of more volume for interiors compared to the sport line,” said Vallicelli. “One example is the kitchen, set at the far aft of the main saloon, which connects with the outside.”

Electrically-operated windows slide down, creating an outdoor bar where guests can sit in the cockpit and directly connect with the kitchen and main saloon. The 36sqm saloon is entered through a door comprising two sliding, overlapping panels from the aft deck.

The bar in the galley and the vertical panels in the main saloon are finished in a grey-toned, hand-scratched metallic effect, which is actually wood that is lacquered, painted to look like metal and then customised by hand.

“We were looking to give the mood of a comfortable space, but not a standard family-friendly environment that you might find on other brands,” Vallicelli said. “This is a very informal boat, so the mood follows this idea of not having super-classic materials. There’s no natural wood on the main deck, for instance, apart from the parquet floors, so there’s a contrast between the warmth of the sofas and the metal look of the walls.”

The introduction of crisp, LED lighting highlights the contrasts of the interior decor. The bar area, which starts at the aft and continues inside, is set across from an L-shaped sofa or a formal dining area, depending on which interior layout option is chosen.

The feeling is that of an open-plan living room that has nearly 360-degree views of the sea thanks to enormous windows and the forward windshield.

“Owners who opt for the Pershing GTX80 love conviviality and playing host to numerous guests,” said Tirelli, noting how this layout that perfectly connects the interior and exterior spaces will appeal to this sort of clientele.

Having one designer create both the exterior and interior helped to nurture the holistic nature of the yacht’s design. In fact, it was vital to the design, because the exterior decks had to be re-imagined to achieve greater interior volumes. One of the ways a larger interior volume was achieved, said Vallicelli, was by conceiving a hybrid full-beam solution.

At first glance, it might look like the saloon is full beam, but in fact she’s “almost full beam”. At the aft section of the superstructure, a second set of windows sit further out from the superstructure, framing the side decks and giving the illusion that the saloon is stretching full beam.

“Instead of having wide side decks, there’s an approximately 40cm passageway just for the crew, which allows us to enlarge the volume of the main deck,” the designer added.

Inside, the build team were on a mission to eke out as much space as possible on the lower deck to create as voluminous guest accommodation as possible.

“The fight to optimise the space was over millimetres, not centimetres,” Vallicelli said. “We worked closely with Ferretti Group Engineering Department and were in constant contact with them.”

Placing the stairs down to the lower deck transversally was one way to gain space while creating a connection between the lower and main decks. The lower deck can be configured with four en-suite cabins or three plus a media room.

Vallicelli is very pleased with the forward VIP cabin, which feels more spacious than a typical V-berth. This is due in part to the fact that the base of the bed is slanted at an angle inward, rather than straight, creating more floor space beneath the bed and making the room feel larger.

Despite being a production yacht, there is scope for customisation, such as in the owner’s suite, which is clad in blue panelling that can be modified upon request. Owners can personalise the space by changing the hanging panels to a colour and material that best suits them.

Of course, a real challenge was balancing more volume with the speed requirements of a Pershing. In this regard, the GTX80 is no slouch. Equipped with three 1,000hp Volvo Penta D13-IPS1350 engines, she reaches a top speed of 34 knots and a cruising speed of 28 knots.

In keeping with the Pershing brand, the GTX80 is equipped with Volvo Penta’s IPS electro-hydraulic steering system, upgraded Volvo joystick functions that allow full joystick driving and assisted docking, Humphree trim stabilisers and Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilisers.

“This project was not about making compromises but about combining high speed and comfort,” said Vallicelli.

A born entertainer, beach-loving beauty and sporty speedster rolled into one, the Pershing GTX80 pulls off a rare feat of balancing speed, style and spaciousness in a relatively small package.

This article was first seen on yachtstyle.co.

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