Last month, the team at ISA Yachts, a brand of Palumbo Superyachts, caused a stir when they revealed the latest addition to its popular Gran Turismo line—the ISA GT 70. Designed by Team for Design – Enrico Gobbi, the yacht has been created to catch the eye with a streamlined profile and distinctive grey and charcoal detailing.
A new generation of Gran Turismo
A historic line of ISA Yachts, Gran Turismo is ever evolving to meet the needs of the market today.
Giuseppe Palumbo, CEO of Palumbo Superyachts, said, “The ISA GT 70 has revolutionised the Gran Turismo line with its innovative design that combines ISA’s historical DNA with the future. The brand’s history and uniqueness are preserved while evolving to meet modern demands.”
While the ISA GT 70 has all the typical features of the much-loved ISA line, the designers have revolutionised the concept of Gran Turismo through more intimate connections between the onboard spaces and the surrounding sea.
“The ISA GT 70 is a seaside villa dressed in a dynamic way and inspired by the world of automotive design.” Gobbi says. “We have therefore maintained the main stylistic features of ISA, such as the large bow and sizeable bonnet, but evolution can be seen through the large windows and the wide internal-external openings.”
“ISA Yachts continues to invest in the Gran Turismo line, finding solutions that meet market tastes. The ISA GT 33 has already been presented as the smallest of the range, and a 50-metre model following the style of the GT 70 will arrive soon,” Palumbo adds.
BOAT caught up with Gobbi to hear his insights on why the model is set to create new standards for the industry…
Inspiration from the automotive industry
The ISA GT 70 features dynamic exterior lines, which have been referred to as the “grand coupé of the sea” by the designers and were inspired by the automotive industry.
“We studied the design and proportions of some historic Mercedes-Benz SL-Class models, which led us to develop the main concept idea for ISA GT 70,” explains Gobbi. “The car gave us the first inspiration of this project, which was then combined with the typical stylistic features of the ISA GT line.”
The internationally renowned designed explained that the sinuous exterior lines skilfully conceal the interior volumes. According to the Gobbi, the biggest challenge faced in the design process was creating generous interior spaces without compromising the impressive exterior profile of the yacht.
“Behind the large arch and superstructure, which appears slimmer thanks to stylistic tricks, there are well-hidden volumes, such as the main deck saloon, owner's cabin, beach club, and upper-deck saloon, which have not compromised the profile, yet are widely liveable areas,” Gobbi continues.
This inspiration is also visible in the interior design. The interiors have a minimalist style, enriched with masculine details that recall the automotive design, such as leather stitching and black metallic details.
“Overall, the interior styling has a dynamic feel with automotive inspiration, combined with richer and warmer details, such as leather, marble and brass,” Gobbi adds.
Continuity of interior and exterior spaces
Another key element for Gobbi was ensuring that the yacht offered a constant flow between interior and exterior spaces. Many of the onboard spaces can be opened and closed as and when the owner wants, which is a key design feature in order to achieve this.
The owner’s cabin features slim frames, connecting the large floor-to-ceiling windows that are virtually invisible. This creates a “glasshouse” effect and amplifies the feeling of continuity between the inside and outside.
A similar impact is achieved through the 180-degree opening windows between the round dining table and the external cockpit at the stern end of the upper deck. “It can be opened completely, halfway, or kept closed. It is, to all intents and purposes, a convertible space,” explains Gobbi.
The perfect place to unwind
If peaceful retreats away from the hustle and bustle appeal to you, the ISA GT 70 will not disappoint. The spacious onboard spa follows the great success of that on board the ISA Classic 65 M/Y Resilience.
“We wanted to reinterpret the concept of a spa area, which opens out onto the sea, obviously with a more GT appeal,” Gobbi said. “The spa on board the ISA GT 70 has three interconnected platforms that open from the stern and allow this area to extend outwards on three sides.”
The spa features a panoramic massage room starboard, a spacious lounge in the centre with a bar, plus an entire space dedicated to gym equipment. It is well-connected by a comfortable staircase that descends from the main deck cockpit, which allows for easy manoeuvrability, even during navigation.
The same philosophy is applied to the superyacht’s interior styling. A dove-grey and taupe colour scheme with traces of contemporary blue is mixed in a pallet of warm colours to evoke a sense of tranquillity.
“The idea was to convey a welcoming and cosy atmosphere all around and this was achieved by using warmer shades of these core colours,” Gobbi says.
For more information on the ISA GT 70, contact Palumbo Superyachts directly.
Sponsored content created for Palumbo Superyachts