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PERSHING GTX 80

LOA: 78ft 8in (23.98m) BEAM: 19ft 0in (5.8m) ENGINES: Triple 1,000hp Volvo IPS1350 TOP SPEED: 34 knots PRICE: From POA CONTACT: www.pershing-yacht.com

Hot on the heels of last year's GTX116 comes this second model in the GTX range of Sports Utility Yachts.

Boasting all the same style, quality and brand appeal as its more performance-oriented X-series siblings but with appreciably more volume in exchange for marginally less speed, Pershing is following the same path trodden by Porsche, Bentley and Aston Martin with their land-based SUVs.

This latest 80ft model shares many of the ideas pioneered by the original 116 but on a smaller scale. Foremost among these is a versatile aft platform that can either be lowered from its default position just above the waterline to launch and recover the tender or raised up to sit level with the fixed platform and folding side terraces to create an extended beach club area. The main cockpit sits a few steps above this, providing a more secure lounging and dining area that links seamlessly with the aft/galley bar and main saloon. A second lounging area on the foredeck converts into a single vast sun pad with a pair of drop-down tables and fill-in cushions.

Although the Pershing 8X also features a small sportsbridge for helming and sunbathing, the GTX80's upper deck is a far larger, more usable space with yet another outdoor dining option and a full wet bar under the shade of a carbon-fibre hard top. However, it's in the interior where you'll really notice the extra volume. The open-plan saloon features a long, low-level galley with bar stools at either end and a pair of laid-back sofas.

The lower deck can be configured with either three cabins and a lounge, or four cabins. The midships owner's cabin is notable for its unusual aft-facing bed and distinctive mottled sky-blue cloud-effect leather panelling.