This German Superboat is Faster Than Your Sports Car (And Way More Expensive)
Okay, fine, I'll admit it – I have a bit of a soft spot for boats that push the boundaries of performance. It's the same thrill I get from hypercars or those crazy experimental aircraft. There's just something about humans squeezing every last bit of speed out of a machine that always gets me excited. Now, we all know that boats will never be as nimble as cars – water's a bit thicker than air, after all. Still, that doesn't mean there isn't room for some bat-out-of-hell aquatic fun.
Enter the Mayla GT. It's a new 44-foot (13.5-m) arrow from a German startup boat builder, and the thing is absolutely bonkers. I know I know, we're all for speed, but a top speed of over 110 mph (185 km/h)? On water? That's... well, it's insane. Especially considering they say this thing is supposed to be a proper yacht as well, with a cabin, sun loungers, and a freaking beach club!
Apparently, the secret sauce is - a few things. First, they built this whole thing out of carbon fiber, which means it's lighter than your typical oligarch's toy. Weight is the enemy, no matter what you're propelling. Then, they went all-in on under-hull trickery. I won't pretend to understand words like "transversal steps" and "Petestep deflectors", all I know is they're supposed to somehow make this thing slice through the water with less effort.
And then there are the power options... holy moly. Sure - you've got your standard gas engines, and diesels - but those are as appealing to me as a soggy sandwich. The full electric version, heck - even the hybrids got me sitting up. The base model, which is hilarious in itself, comes with a pair of Corvette V8s putting out over 1300 horsepower - that still holds my attention as well as a goldfish in a math class. Sure, that'll get you moving. But it only gets crazier from there, topping out with a 3,100-horsepower setup that can allegedly hit over 100 knots. I don't even want to know how much that one costs.
For those looking to leave a little smaller wake on the water, the Mayla GT offers a surprisingly potent all-electric option. Don't get me wrong, I'm normally the first to roll my eyes at anything whispering about "eco-friendly" performance. But this thing packs a 2,200-horsepower punch that'll still pin you to your seat, all without a single drop of fossil fuel. Of course, blasting around at its 50-knot (93 km/h / 58 mph) top speed will likely drain the batteries a bit quicker than a weekend cruise. Then again, if you've got the spare change for this floating Tesla, I doubt the cost of recharging is too high on your list of worries.
Now, all this focus on speed might have you thinking the Mayla GT is just some offshore missile disguised as a yacht. But no, they say they've thrown in the whole luxury shebang. I mean, why stop at insane performance when you can have insane performance and a wet bar? There's apparently room for eight folks to kick back, soak up some sun, or have a fancy little sunset dinner while blasting along at speeds that'd make a Coast Guard patrol boat weep. And if you get bored, they've even got a garage to stash a jet ski.
Of course, it shouldn't surprise you to hear that all this tech and luxury costs a pretty penny. Actually, more like a whole briefcase full of pretty pennies. We're talking a starting price of over $1.7 million. That's... yeah, that's a lot.
But hey, if you're the type who thinks the only thing missing from your life is a carbon fiber speedboat that doubles as a five-star resort, then maybe the Mayla GT is for you. For the rest of us, I guess we'll just have to keep dreaming – or buy lottery tickets. Lots and lots of lottery tickets.
