In the wake of the Grande 35 Metri, Azimut’s Grande 32 version is a 105-footer that exudes quality and charisma.
In the wake of the Grande 35 Metri, Azimut’s Grande 32 version is a 105-footer that exudes quality and charisma.
In the wake of the Grande 35 Metri, Azimut’s Grande 32 version is a 105-footer that exudes quality and charisma.
BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED AND EXPERTLY FINISHED – grande is the Italian word for “great”, after all – the Azimut Grande 32 Metri does indeed bear the hallmarks of something special: striking style, an innovative use of space and light, and last but not least an efficient hull which grants sporty performances and fuel efficiency.
For this new model in the Azimut Grande series, the yard was looking for something really avant-garde, something notably different. If the idea was to create something unexpected with features not usually found on a 32-metre yacht, Azimut is right on target. From the boldly designed exterior and fresh interiors to its reliable structure, from the engine configuration to the hull geometry, the Azimut Grande 32 has been designed to offer the best. Despite a great deal of innovation, there is no doubt that this is a signature Azimut yacht through and through.
The project boasts Stefano Righini’s exterior lines while her elegant interiors were drawn by Achille Salvagni who designed and selected the yacht’s unique furnishings that are masterfully realised by expert Italian craftsmen.
As options abound, each owner has the possibility to customise their Grande 32 according to taste and lifestyle wants.
The boat I encountered featured opulent interior spaces that seamlessly blended elegance and functionality. Salvagni and the yard have produced a style in the Grande 32 with ingrained elegance and cutting-edge elements that are impressive in vessels of this size.
Analysing the 32 starts with her contemporary hull shape, designed by Pierluigi Ausonio. The D2P – Displacement to Planing – hull, designed in conjunction with the Azimut|Benetti Research & Development Department, combines the comfort of a displacement hull with the performance of a planing hull and a wave piercer to improve fuel efficiency. The D2P hull, alongside the slippery and stable double-chine form with wave piercer – that lengthen the waterline by about six feet (nearly two metres) – means the yacht can easily reach high top speeds or navigate in displacement mode with a remarkable range at a cost-effective speed. The distinctive wave-piercing bow was pioneered by the Azimut Grande 35 Metri in 2017, nevertheless, the Grande 32, introduced a year later, has a personality of her own, and a strong one.
Azimut claims that thanks to her hull shape, the Grande 32’s efficiency gains are at around 30 percent. The tapered forward section of the hull reduces buoyancy in the bow and smooths the ride in head seas. The hull geometry combined with twin 2,200-horsepower MTU 2000 Series engines give a top speed of 26.5 knots and a fast cruising speed of 21 knots.
Upper decks bring expansive vistas with generous comfort.
But the 32 has much more to offer than efficiency and speed, she has charming exterior lines that exude power and dynamism. The exterior, as mentioned, stems from the experienced hand of Stefano Righini whose name is closely related to Azimut successes through the years.
In designing the Grande 32 Metri, Righini and the Azimut team were thinking big, and not only in terms of size. Her distinctive silhouette and volumes embody a state-of-the-art contemporary yacht design. Dynamic, powerful yet elegant, the Grande 32’s profile features a bow with innovative design that enlarges interior volume and deck surface and a well-proportioned superstructure encompassing a large flybridge deck. The raised-pilothouse of the yacht’s superstructure is built in carbon fibre with vinyl ester and epoxy resins. This enabled designers to create huge liveable spaces with no weight penalty. It’s worth mentioning too that the use of carbon fibre is part of a programme the company pioneered from way back in 2006.
Like the Grande 35, the 32 has a lateral garage in which a five-metre tender and a three-metre jet ski can be stored. This arrangement clears the stern for a beach club, with its fold-out, teak-decked transom platform reached via steps down each side of the cockpit. The 18-square-metre beach club is available in two different configurations. A more classic design is ideal for diving and water sports, with furniture and storage designed to hold the equipment. A second version features a structure with four carbon poles and super lightweight organza awnings that shelter the outdoor area and create a shaded terrace at sea level.
As one would expect of a yacht designed to provide guests with close storage designed to hold the equipment. A second version features a structure with four carbon poles and super lightweight organza awnings that shelter the outdoor area and create a shaded terrace at sea level.
Proving that the model name Grande is not used lightly, interiors by Achille Salvagni Architetti would be at home in a luxurious domestic environment. The curves of the staircase that connects main and lower decks is a focal point.
As one would expect of a yacht designed to provide guests with close encounters with the marine environment, deck spaces are designed to meet this. The merging of inside and outside spaces is a hallmark throughout the yacht with full-height windows that let plenty of natural light in, while adding elegance to the exterior geometry. Exploring the outdoor areas, we start our tour from the large aft cockpit featuring an informal dining area totally shaded by the flybridge overhang. Then we head to the foredeck that’s equipped with a huge sun pad, sofa and a table. This is the best spot for sunbathers, a place to enjoy great views with the wind in your hair. Back to the cockpit, from here we use a staircase to access the flybridge, which is the real highlight of the exterior areas. The well-appointed 70-square-metre area tops the superstructure and offers amenities aplenty to feel at ease both at anchor and underway. Thoughtfully divided into three areas, it includes a dining space forward with adjoining helm station on starboard, a central lounging space and a stern section that can host a spa pool and sun pads or another lounging space. The large fly deck is partially sheltered by a T-top with a sliding section.
Back on the main deck, the door to the aft deck slides open completely, creating one enormous indoor-outdoor space. Inside, the large saloon divides into lounging and dining areas, both fronting great views thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows. This is a true entertainment space, a real eye-opener and a testament to the tasteful interior design. A well-balanced composition is the main theme throughout the Salvagni-designed interiors; he avoided any ‘style exercise’, instead creating open, elegantly-shaped architectural elements to delineate areas without setting physical barriers. All furniture, except for the decorative lamps and two pink armchairs in the saloon, are custom-designed by Salvagni himself.
Pastel shades of pink and muted tones, described by the shipyard as “butter and chalk”, together with understated, quality detailing set the tone. Glossy or lacquered details command the eye and underline linearity of the overall design.
Her layout is quite traditional with an open-plan saloon, galley with direct access to the side passage, owner’s suite on the main deck forward, while all guest accommodations are on the lower deck, as are crew areas.
The owner’s suite is bright and airy thanks to panoramic windows on both sides, and Salvagni stripped away unnecessary decorative elements here. What may appear simple at first glance, with more attentive observation reveals many fine details. The cabin makes the most out of the wide beam configuration and offers the owner a very comfortable private retreat with splendid panoramic views.
In the corridor that links the saloon to the deck’s forward section, a sinuous staircase, with backlit onyx steps – almost a work of art itself – perfectly serves its purpose guiding guests to the lower deck. The standard design features a symmetrical layout with two VIP cabins amidships and two twin cabins forward. The owner of the Grande 32 I experienced asked to have the twin cabin to port converted into a gym.
A curved flight of stairs starting in the corridor/lobby leads also to an upper level where a wheelhouse, with its distinctive forward sloping windscreen that provides good visibility out to sea, is perfectly nestled within the yacht’s sleek profile. A compact dashboard with monitoring screens and soft leather chair make up a small, smart and stylish driving post. A cosy corner to port with a table and comfortable seating is the ideal spot to watch the world go by, while the yacht silently slides through the waves. Smooth running was indeed a priority. To reduce noise and vibrations, the propulsion system transmission features elastic devices and the whole project has been developed according to a model analysis derived from aerospace engineering.
Stepping back to the dock taking a last look at the Grande 32, we can’t help but think that she really stands out from the crowd for many reasons: head-turning style, state-of-the-art construction, sophisticated yet family-friendly features, wide and well-appointed spaces, trip-shortening speed, and fuel efficient hull ... what more could we ask from a 32-metre yacht?
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