First interior look at the 51m ARES superyacht Spitfire

February 2025 - News
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ARES Yachts has unveiled the first interior renderings of the 50.55-metre in-build, historically-inspired superyacht Spitfire, providing SuperYacht Times a closer look at her design before her completion in 2027.Spitfire’s design draws inspiration from the Supermarine Spitfire, a famous fighter aircraft in British aviation history. She is available as a new construction opportunity with Denison Yachting in a joint central listing with Will Christie of London-based Christie Yachts.

Featuring exterior and interior design created by Bannenberg & Rowell Design, along with naval architecture by Lateral Naval Architects,Spitfire is set to be built from advanced composites, as construction on her hull kicks off this spring.

“This was a simultaneously beautiful and deadly design; a fast, nimble response to the challenges of the new battlefield of World War Two: the air. The spirit of the dogfight, immense individual bravery, optimised engineering, and even sacrifice – as part of the war effort British civilians were rumoured to have given up metal railings from their homes for the fabrication of spitfire parts – this is the spirit of the Spitfire project,” Simon Rowell, Creative Director at Bannenberg & Rowell Design, elaborated.

From the outside,Spitfire sports a sleek, low-profile superstructure banded with dark glass and a military gray colour. The superyacht’s wide, rounded bow drops vertically from cutaway bulwarks, while the open explorer-style stern paves the way for blue water adventures.

“Aesthetically the Spitfire was immediately identifiable by its elliptical wing profile. Innovative sunken rivets created an unusually sleek aerodynamic surface. So the story of the ARES Spitfire is rooted in this ethos: it is nimble, efficient, dynamic, industrial and engineered. This can be found in our use of smooth surfaces, metallic sheen, earthy and marine colourways and taut honest geometry,” Rowell added.

Inside, the same historical essence extends to Spitfire’s interiors, which are fitted with natural, military and naval-inspired colours, as well as materials such as punched metal surfaces, leather and tinted glass. Understated references to a 1940s industrial architectural aesthetic are present throughout Spitfire’s glazing bars and the glazing in her bathrooms.

All of the guest staterooms are complete with spacious ensuites and plenty of storage, as the full-beam owner’s suite is located forward on the main deck, and four guest staterooms are situated below. One of the owner’s suite’s highlights is a freestanding bed surrounded by 270-degree panoramic vistas. Further immersion with the outdoors can be had in the outdoor movie theatre positioned on the private forward cockpit of the owner’s suite, equipped with retractable side screens and glass bulwark sections.

ARES Yachts Managing Director Piraye Sahinkaya Orhun commented: “After years of painstaking development and planning, we are so proud to be sharing more details of our latest project with the industry. As a yard, building Spitfire will allow us to showcase our unrivalled expertise building in high quality fibreglass, as well as our profound understanding of what makes a safe high-performance hull.”

Paying tribute to her historical backdrop,Spitfire’s rooms have each been christened with military-themed names. The master suite is dubbed “The Boss’s Quarters”, while the bridge is “The Pilot House”, and the “Ready Room” is a panoramic gathering area in the heart of her control room.

Moreover, Spitfire’s main deck salon is referred to as “The Bunker ”, and is paired with the “The D-Fac dining salon” that opens up entirely to the outdoors. By contrast, the guest staterooms are given the more contemporary name of “Buddy Quarters” to “acknowledge the more democratic nature of the contemporary yachtsperson,” according to ARES Yachts.

“Every moment on board prioritises the modern, active yachting lifestyle – as epitomised by Spitfire’s phenomenal and vast beach club area which can be set up with either a lounge and cinema space or a fully-equipped gym. She is perfect for a forward-thinking owner who is ready to both take on the world at pace, and take much-needed time for themselves,” Orhun continued.

Regardless of the historical motifs,Spitfire’s design employs contemporary open plan yachting and casual living. Both positioned on the middle deck, the D-Fac and The Bunker benefit from two moving glazed wall systems for light, sea views and shelter. In addition, the upper deck is home to the Wardroom, which utilises the same system, connecting to the outdoor aft grill bar and sunbathing pads. The Wardroom’s roof can also be raised for fresh air to enter, increasing the height and natural lighting of the area.

Performance-wise, Spitfire can reach a top speed of 20 knots and a cruising range of 3,500 nautical miles. The superyacht’s platform builds from the fast displacement hull dynamics of ARES Yachts’ ARES 150 BOLD offshore patrol vessel.

“From the seed of an idea which germinated over many years with our countrymen collaborators at Lateral, through to capturing the imagination of the feisty visionaries at ARES Yachts and the dynamic Denison Yachting & Christie Yachts Team, we just can’t wait to see this project come to fruition, and to share both our team and our ideas with an incoming owner,” Rowell concluded.