Sanlorenzo is Bringing Italian Luxury to Mayfair

The streets and squares of Mayfair have long been a byword for top-notch design, ever since the days when Regency dandy Beau Brummell would sally forth to procure a new walking cane and top hat. Those in the know will head to Lock & Co. Hatters for a handmade Montecristi Panama hat and stop by Garrard when they need a piece of original fine jewellery. There are tailors for bespoke suits and car showrooms for the latest Aston Martin or Ferrari models. This autumn, they’ll be joined by one of the most covetable Italian heritage names in what is perhaps the ultimate in luxury goods: a private yacht.

Sanlorenzo first took to the water in 1958, from a small coastal town near Florence. Since then, it has evolved to become one of the most innovative, stylish outfits at sea, specialising in beautiful yachts that are ahead of the curve in design, performance and sustainability. Interiors are fully customisable and you can browse the complete Sanlorenzo collection at its new Park Lane flagship showroom, from sleek, aquiline SL yachts measuring from 24 metres to the five-decked 73Steel superyacht, weighing in at 73 metres.

“Of course, you wouldn’t just wander in and walk out with the keys to a yacht,” says Nick Hatfield, Managing Director at Sanlorenzo Yachts UK. “But having a ‘storefront’ means our clients can discuss specifications with the team here and have a clear idea of what we’re about. We can also advise on how to get into yachting in the first place — you may have the money, but not all our owners are experienced sailors or know their way around a boat.” Most luxury designers enjoy an annus mirabilis of some sort, a key  year aligned to a specific, reputation-enhancing innovation. For Jaguar, the release of its XJ6 saloon car made 1968 a classic year. For Sanlorenzo, 2025 has been truly remarkable, with the launch of not one but three high-performance flagship yachts over 30 metres long. At 40.7 metres and with three decks, the sleek SD132 is the largest yacht in its semi-displacement range; the SL110A is the next generation of Sanlorenzo’s bold asymmetric line; while the SX120 is its largest crossover boat, blurring the line between explorer and flybridge motor yacht, complete with a pool on the beach club that can be covered and converted into a sunpad.

These are three very different yachts for different sorts of owners, but all are designed with the shipyard’s by-now trademark approach of freeing up more space and allowing for innovative creativity. “It’s all about the volume,” says Hatfield. “Our clients are looking for more space that allows for maximum personalisation. Our yachts are like floating villas, with owners adding gyms, cinemas, wine cellars and outside dining areas to suit their lifestyles. The big difference is they’re completely surrounded by water — and the desire for a greater connection to that water is something we’re seeing across the entire yachting industry. More space, more freedom, more sea.”

That deep connection to the water is apparent when you’re given a virtual walkaround of the new yachts at the Mayfair showroom. The cabins — which, with their effortlessly chic Italian interiors, resemble penthouse suites — are filled with natural light streaming in through expansive windows. Uncluttered exteriors allow for uninterrupted views of the ocean; beach-club areas (the parts of the yacht that allow for direct access to the water) have been expanded, allowing for super-spacious terraces for guests to sunbathe, dive into the water or zoom off on water toys such as sea bobs or fliteboards — your own floating version of Le Club 55 to share with friends and family. While this all allows for undiluted views of the surrounding seascape,  Sanlorenzo’s other major innovation is hidden out of sight.

In 2024, the shipyard launched 50Steel, a game-changing model that was the world’s f irst yacht to have its onboard hotel systems powered by green methanol. As acknowledged in May at the British Motor Yacht Show, green methanol — converted onboard into hydrogen and then to electricity — is the fuel that will transform the industry on the voyage to net zero. Just as Sanlorenzo collaborates with some of the world’s most experienced yacht experts and interior designers, so it works with leading names in sustainable engineering as part of its “Road to 2030” strategy, which will not only meet the targets set by the IMO and EU but exceed them ahead of schedule. The just-launched SX120, for example, is the f irst composite yacht to be equipped with the Volvo Penta IPS Professional Platform, a system that uses less fuel, creates less noise and — as it’s able to cope with a variety of power sources at the same time — can future-proof yachts.

On the horizon is the shipyard’s partnership with MAN to develop a ground-breaking — wave-breaking, if you like — propulsion system that will be unveiled in 2027 with the bi-fuel 50 X-Space, reducing navigation emissions by up to 70 per cent. And this year will also see the launch of the BGF45 by sister company Bluegame, inspired by the zero-emissions chase boat built by the shipyard for the America’s Cup in 2024, which flew across the waves at up to 50 knots, powered solely by hydrogen and using a single foil to skim above the water.

The same pioneering technology will inform Bluegame’s new 45ft foil-assisted multihull — a perfect example of how cutting-edge racing foil tech can successfully be applied to the mainstream market. But while the team at Sanlorenzo’s new Mayfair showroom are more than happy to talk specifications and carbon emissions, it’s the sheer beauty of the yachts that will make your imagination soar. The flyaway profile, the streamlined hull, as finely sculpted as an artwork by Bernini; its white keel carving through aquamarine water as you steer towards your next adventure — a private yacht that offers romance and escape but also that can be cherished and passed down through the generations. The Park Lane, Mayfair showroom opens later this year.

https://sanlorenzoyachts.co.uk/