Named for the fabled Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows racing cars of the 1930s, the Arrow 460 Granturismo followed the same design process that Mercedes-Benz Style uses to create its luxury vehicles. The German firm worked with Silver Arrows Marine in Monaco and naval architect Van Oossanen in the Netherlands to integrate the lines and proportions of a Mercedes S-Class Coupe into a day cruiser.
Mercedes calls its design process “sensual purity,” which is more pragmatic than it sounds. The design firm and shipyard created clay models to form the exact replica they wanted, rather than relying on computer modeling, then built full-scale models of the hull and interior. The long “trunk” in the bow and scoops in the hull sides mimic the look of the S-Class Coupe, while the side windows are the exact shape.
The polarized windows, engineered by Vision Systems, are electronically dimmable. Her interior includes many of the same materials and components in S-Class vehicles. The 3-D wood veneer by German firm Danzer allowed designers to shape the interior eucalyptus panels into curves that follow the hull form. And silver exterior paint gleams in the sunlight. Silver Arrows Marine plans to build 10 models in the 460 Granturismo series before collaborating with Mercedes-Benz Style on future projects.
The polarized windows, engineered by Vision Systems, are electronically dimmable. Her interior includes many of the same materials and components in S-Class vehicles. The 3-D wood veneer by German firm Danzer allowed designers to shape the interior eucalyptus panels into curves that follow the hull form. And silver exterior paint gleams in the sunlight. Silver Arrows Marine plans to build 10 models in the 460 Granturismo series before collaborating with Mercedes-Benz Style on future projects.
