Italian shipyard Benetti has announced the sale of the first unit from its new B.Neos 40M superyacht model. The 40.6-metre new build was sold in a deal with Manuele Thiella of Royal Yacht International and is scheduled for delivery in spring 2028.
The new line was first unveiled at the 2025 Cannes Yachting Festival, showcased as a full-hybrid design inspired by "the proportions and silence of sailing yachts".
The name B.Neos is derived from the Greek word “néos”, meaning “new, young and fresh”; positioned as a "refined, forward-thinking vision of life at sea", the yacht combines purposeful yet simplistic design with hybrid propulsion as standard - embodying Benetti’s ambition to attract a new generation of owners.
UK-based Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design, a studio best known for its sailing yacht projects, is behind the exterior design. Initial renderings reveal a plumb bow, low-profile superstructure, expansive glazing and overhanging aft decks, all drawn around the balanced proportions of a sailing yacht.
Francesca Muzio of Italian studio FM Architettura is responsible for the interiors, which the shipyard describes as feeling "personal rather than monumental". As a result, the interiors favour a warm and tactile scheme with a "lived-in" and more relaxed approach chosen over "formal perfection".
The 296GT of interior volume on board has been designed to offer a close connection with both nature and people through a fluid and "uncomplicated" layout. The main deck is a prime example, where a long, lazy aft pool area flows effortlessly into a Sea Atrium - a light-filled 2.4-metre-high space enclosed by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, curated as a reimagination of the beach club.
Heading inside on the same deck, there is an open, family-style kitchen conceived as the social heart of the yacht. Here, meals can be shared intimately and informally with family without the constant presence of crew, though the galley area can be separated with a sliding glass partition for formal dining if desired.
The presence of the wheelhouse forward on the main deck opens up the upper deck to serve as a private owner's area with a forward apartment and 270-degree panoramic views – something more typically found on yachts of 60 metres plus, according to the yard. Stairs lead upwards to the observation deck, which is fitted with a large and inviting sunpad.
Offered as a standard and not an optional add-on, the model's hybrid technology system has been carefully curated to transform the experience onboard: reducing noise, vibrations and exhaust fumes for a quiet and calm setting both at anchor and underway.
Enabling this is an integrated MAN Smart Hybrid system paired with twin MAN V8-800 engines. It offers several operating modes: zero-emission and hotel mode for silent electric power; diesel-electric and crossover for optimised fuel efficiency; and a "boost" mode for instant torque and easy manoeuvring.
Efficiency is also enhanced by a purpose-driven technical ecosystem, which the yard notes contributes to a 30 per cent reduction in energy consumption compared to a vessel of the same size. The implemented hybrid system also eliminates the need for future upgrades and allows for a compact engine room.
The B.Neos model is also one of the first to be part of Benetti's Peace of Mind Program: conceived to protect the yacht’s long-term value while eliminating operational concerns through a comprehensive ecosystem of services.
The programme includes technical services, operational management (supported by a dedicated crew academy), as well as lifestyle and turnkey services via Yachtique, the interior design division of Azimut|Benetti Group. This culminates in Yacht as a Service (YaaS), a new approach where yacht and services are integrated into a single, managed five-year solution of ownership.
Earlier this year, BOAT International spoke exclusively to the team behind the B.Neos to find out more about the project.
Read More/B.Neos 40M: The sailing yacht-inspired motor yacht prioritising silence over volume