Wally Tender 48

Laser-sharp lines and a ravishing finish captivate editor Hugo– but does its performance live up to its slick styling?

- Hugo Andreae

I know we journalists should be cold, dispassionate creatures who remain resolutely objective regardless of subject matter but, cut me some slack here, it’s not every day you get to drive something as achingly cool as the new Wallytender 48.

It may not be the first powerboat to feature Luca Bassani’s iconic paper-dart styling and it’s certainly not the largest (a 165-footer is on the drawing board) but being a fast, open day boat with close to 1,000hp on tap there is every chance it will be the most exciting to drive. That’s what I’m hoping, anyway, as I slip off my shoes and shuffle along the retractable passerelle that doubles as a bathing ladder when angled down into the sea.

The teak on the swim platform feels warm and smooth underfoot, while everything from the finish of the GRP moldings to the neatness of the caulking and engineering of the moving parts seems to be even slicker than previous Wallys, some of which didn’t look quite as immaculate in the flesh as they did in the glossy photographs. This one looks and feels like a million euros, which is more or less what it costs inc VAT, although that does include the fancy folding passerelle and bulwarks as standard.