Azimut’s Sporty New S8 Cruiser Is Making a Surprise Visit to Cannes Yacht Fest

Rachel Cormack

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And then there were four: Italian yacht maker Azmut just revealed that its sporty 80-foot S8 cruiser will make a surprise debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival in a few days time, joining three of its other S-model siblings at the event.

The new S8 will join an existing family in Cannes—the S6, S7 and Grande S10—replacing the successful 77S to become the fourth vessel in Azimut’s S Collection. The collection couples high-performance materials with innovative design to create sporty yet elegant vessels. The S8 sees a continuation of this stylistic throughline and is as aggressive as it is sophisticated. Designer Alberto Mancini is responsible for the exterior and the yacht’s lines are unmistakably modern and sporty.

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The extensive use of light-weight carbon—it’s featured on the flybridge, deck and platform—along with the gutsy 1000 hp triple Volvo Penta IPS 1350 engine, allows the S8 to cut through the seas with ease. The yacht can clock a top speed of 34 knots or cruise comfortably at 27 knots and has a host of high-tech features, thanks to the Azimut Yachts’ Innovation Lab. Highlights include active trim control, which improves fuel economy and overall performance; joystick driving, which guarantees comfortable and safe cruising with perfect control; and a cutting-edge integrated control system that allows seafarers to easily adjust the yacht’s settings.

Azimut S8
Azimut S8

“S8 stands out first and foremost for her unprecedented maneuverability, silence and significantly lower consumption than the category as a whole,” the Azimut release reads.

Another way the S8 stands out is its ingenious layout: Thanks to a more compact engine room, the lower yacht encompasses four spacious cabins, four bathrooms and a generous garage with ample room for the all-important water toys. The kitchen is located on an intermediate deck—between the main and lower deck—which means the main deck is a large open space that creates flow between the exterior and interior and can be used for lounging and dining.

Francesco Guida’s interior is both welcoming and sophisticated and is available in two color palettes, Platinum and Black Pearl, the latter of which will be presented at Cannes.

This isn’t the first time the yacht builder has leveraged the element of surprise. Earlier this year, Azimut dropped details about the Grande S10 just days before Boot Düsseldorf. Indeed, the brand knows how to set tongues wagging. If you’re curious to catch a glimpse, the Azimut S8 will be on display at Cannes along with the S10, Azimut 78 and Atlantis 45—from September 10 to 15.

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