MINE'S THE PORSCHE - ON TEST // ELAN GT6

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BADGE: WHY PORSCHE BECAME INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN OF ELAN’S NEW FLAGSHIP

- TOBY HODGES

Where we tested:

Firth of Clyde, Scotland

Conditions: 2-10 knots, flat water

Model: three-cabin layout with electronics and deck gear upgrades and Ullman Fiberpath sails

A few decades ago having a supercar was a real status symbol, a prominent way of shouting ‘look at me!’. Times and trends have changed, as has, arguably, the appetite for such ostentation. So why, I wondered, would a 70-year-old shipyard with a well-regarded product line need to turn to Porsche for the design of its new flagship?

Over the years we’ve seen various car manufacturers and designers get involved with yacht design, yet few stand out for their success. However, as I was to find out with this new GT6, the relationship between Elan and Porsche runs deeper than simply exploiting a name for marketing gain.

Studio F.A. Porsche is the design arm of the automotive giant. The Austrian company’s role is not about adding flashy flared bodywork or eye-catching spoilers. It’s all about refinement, whether working with architecture or dishwashers – or Elan skis, which is how the tie-in with Elan’s GT6 came about. The objective is care in detail and it aims to add a signature of understated class.

Considering this strong emphasis on design then, it is no surprise that the GT6 hit the water looking sharp. I’m referring in particular to the clean lines, black-and-white styling, the angle of the tinted windows in the hull and the contemporary decksaloon-style coachroof.