Giltrap Group at the Auckland boat show
Mar 23, 2023
Some of the world’s most luxurious boating brands are joined by two of the world’s most luxurious car brands this week at Auckland’s On The Water Boat Show.
With Auckland’s On The Water Boat Show show held at the picturesque Jellicoe Wharf and marina, it allows visitors access to larger, launches and luxury cruisers floating on the water.
Launches and boats aren’t the only luxury transportation floating on the water though. Bentley Auckland are also in attendance with a unique ‘floating’ Bentley Continental GT Speed activation. While another icon of British high-performance, Aston Martin, also has a presence showcasing an attribute not often associated with the Aston Martin brand, it’s towing capability.
Both activations are in collaboration with premium boating brands.
In the case of Aston Martin, they’re partnering with the highly-specified American boating brand Crownline, who bring a new level of luxury and dynamic performance to the trailer boat category in New Zealand. Distributed in New Zealand by EuroCity Marine, Crownline are renowned for merging beautifully-appointed cabins with cutting edge hydrodynamics and technology to outperform competitors dynamically.
While well known for their arresting design, sonorous and powerful V8 and V12 powertrains and charismatic handling, Aston Martin’s DBX SUV opens doors to new lifestyle purchasers adding space and practicality to the brand’s winning recipe. The DBX boasts a 550PS (405kW) / 700Nm V8 capable of hurtling this full-size SUV from 0-100kmh in just 4.3 seconds, it also boasts a 2.7 tonne tow capacity and a wading depth of 500mm.
For Bentley, they have collaborated with Princess Yachts which is a local extension of a successful global alliance of the two British brands. Like Bentley, Princess Yachts are steeped in heritage. With part of their 1.1 million square foot shipyard built on a former naval yard dating back to the 17th century, Princess Yachts have been crafting the best of British superyachts since 1965.
Looking as resplendent on the water as the many prestigious craft around it, a new Bentley Continental GT Speed has been, very cautiously, lifted onto a pontoon and moored in a marina berth for the duration of the show.
Crafted with an eye for detail, like Bentley, there are undeniable synergies onboard a Princess Yacht and the two brands have a healthy appreciation for the other. So much so, that in 2017 Bentley’s commissioning division, Mulliner, developed a Princess Yacht inspired special edition Continental GT. The Galene – named after the Greek Goddess of calm seas – featured a Glacier White exterior with a flash of Sequin Blue on the lower brightware, emulating the styling lines of a contemporary Princess super yacht hull.
“Being able to align these two iconic British brands with equally focused counterparts in the marine sector and display at the Auckland boat show has been an exciting change from our traditional event activations,” says Steve Fulks, Super Luxury General Manager at Giltrap Group.
“The dynamism of the Crownline brand is a great fit for Aston Martin and enables us to shine a light on the genuine towing credentials of the DBX, while being able to extend Bentley’s global partnership with Princess Yachts is also a wonderful way to show the level of craftsmanship that goes into those products.”
The Auckland Boat Show runs from March 23 to March 27.