Superhawk sighted
Sunseeker’s hot new model, the Superhawk 55, emerges from her build shed ahead of sea trials and show debut.
14 December 2022
Advertisement
It has been 13 years since the last of the previous Superhawks rolled off the Sunseeker production line, but on a cold December day, the first of the all-new Superhawk 55s emerged from the build shed at Sunseeker’s shipyard in Poole, UK.
Cold it may have been, but this is a hotly anticipated model harking back to the days of long noses and lightning hulls that offered open boating in sleek designs that screamed at 50 knots. And, as Ocean discovered in September, this new addition to the fleet looks like she’s going to live up to her hype.
The new 55 is tempered a little – her projected max is a still-exciting 38 knots – but this is Superhawking for a new generation. The new model features twin Volvo Penta D11 – IPS 950 engines to give that sparkling performance, controlled from a centreline triple helm.
There’s accommodation for up to six guests in contemporary-styled lower accommodation, and pantograph doors from the forward wings of the cockpit not only offer access to the side decks for runs forward but also mean the cockpit itself can spread across the full aft beam of the boat.
Advertisement
“The launch of the Superhawk 55 is exciting for all involved, and we are thrilled to see the first hull embark on final sea trials,” says Andrea Frabetti, Chief Executive Officer at Sunseeker.
“The iconic Superhawk name is close to the hearts of owners, employees and admirers worldwide.”
The lineage of the new Superhawk is clear. It began with the XPS34, which was drawn with High-Performance styling and featured the same lines as the most successful race boat of the time. Then came the 50-knot Cobra 39 and, in the late 1980s, the Tomahawk 37 followed by the Mohawk 29 and the Thunderhawk 43.
The first Superhawk arrived as the 50 in the 1990s, a 50-footer that offered 50 knots while still offering three cabins. The Superhawk 48 came in 1997, and her sister, the Superhawk 34, was featured in the Bond movie The World Is Not Enough. The last of the line in the early 2000s was the Superhawk 43, which offered triple Arneson surface drives among its drivetrain options.
The new Superhawk 55 may recall the classics, but she is also thoroughly modern. Her transom door hides a Williams MiniJet tender carried beneath the aft sunpad, while her helm console includes dual MFDs and device charging pads. Her build even includes 3D printed parts for non-structural exterior aesthetic elements, which actually help reduce weight.
“The Superhawk 55 is a halo product of future models developed from a proven design philosophy, becoming an icon in its own right,” Frabetti adds. “This exciting new performance model promises to be a thrilling new addition to the Sunseeker range, born from a passion that is unmatched in our industry.”
The new Superhawk 55 is set to debut at the Dusseldorf Boat Show in January 2023.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
