We've seen a lot of futuristic superyacht designs that look extremely cool and avant garde, and have no chance at all of ever being built. The 315-ft. Project Orca (above) by UK-based designer Michael Leach is an exception; it's currently under construction at the famed Blohm + Voss shipyard, scheduled for delivery in spring 2010. Leach's 220-ft. Anna for Feadship, one of their largest ever, won a World Superyacht Award for best displacement motor yacht. The Orca features a futuristic exoskeletal curving superstructure, aggressive lines and innovative glazing. Its enormous entertaining and private spaces will feature bespoke furniture from British firm Silverlining, with each piece handmade by a single craftsman and stamped with their signature silver hallmark. Metrica will handle the interior execution, and Cougar Marine will provide two custom limousine tenders stored on the yacht's sports deck.

Looking for a really unforgettable Christmas present for that special someone this year? That glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report has just the thing - a matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million. The eye-popping present, the world's most expensive, is part of the profligate publication's Ultimate Gift Guide, a seasonal offering of over-the-top exclusives. The recipient will receive an Airbus A380 (above), the world's largest jumbo jet, and a bespoke megayacht, both customized by renowned designer Patrick Knowles. The interiors will complement each other creating what Knowles calls a "custom personal brand" for the lucky owner. There's one catch - considering the backlog on A380 deliveries and the time required to design and build a custom megayacht, the giftee will have to wait at least six years to get their hands on the toys.

The mystery buyer of the 289-ft. Maltese Falcon, the world's largest, best designed, and most expensive sailing superyacht, has been revealed as Elena Ambrosiadou, Greek-born founder of hedge fund Ikos Partners. The UK's highest-paid woman and its wealthiest female entrepreneur, Ambrosiadou, pictured above after winning the Perini Navi Cup with her new toy (and collecting the Rolex prize), is said to have paid $120 million for the megayacht. Built by Perini Navi for venture capitalist Tom Perkins in 2006, it remains the ne plus ultra of sailing superyachts, a masterpiece of technology and design, and was recently featured on the cover of Luxury Toys: Top of the World. Her revolutionary sailing system - the DynaRig - set a new milestone in yachting history: three self-standing and rotating masts hosting 15 sails for a total sail area of 25,791 square feet for unrivaled, performance maneuverability and record-shattering speed; she can complete Atlantic crossings in ten days.

[via JamesList]

In addition to the military-grade missile defense system, armor plating and bullet-proof windows featured on Roman Abramovich's new 557-ft. Eclipse (above), the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht, the Russian oligarch has installed a high-tech anti-photo shield designed to keep the paparazzi at bay. The system relies on lasers to block any digital camera lenses nearby, the London Times reports. Infrared lasers will detect the cameras' electronic light sensors, known as charge-coupled devices (CCDs), and then fire a focused beam of light at the camera, disrupting its ability to record a digital image. The Times, which also claims the total cost of the Eclipse has now ballooned over the $1 billion mark, reports the yacht set off on a sea trial last week with 150 engineers and maritime experts aboard who will put it through its paces over 10 days. Abramovich, who just paid $89 million for a villa in St. Bart's, is due to take delivery of the yacht on December 22.

Unlike its automotive counterpart which keeps making its cars bigger and bigger, Porsche Design tends to keep things small. The product design division of the German automaker turns its talents on everything from mobile phones and watches to clothing and luggage. But this time they're thinking a bit bigger. A lot bigger, actually.

We brought you initial information about the company's impending collaboration with Singapore's Royal Falcon Fleet ship yard last year when it was still in the embryonic stage. But design work has now been completed and construction has started on the impressive 135-foot catamaran megayacht. The twin-hull design gives the RFF135 a wide beam and unrivaled stability without displacing as much water as a conventional design, while providing a massive 472 square meters of interior floorspace and 208 square meters of deck space, more than enough to accommodate 10 guests and 10 crew. Twin MTU V16 turbodiesel engines each produce an unfathomable 4600 horsepower, enough to keep the vessel at a theoretical 35-knot top speed and making it the most powerful vehicle of any kind Porsche has ever designed. Feast your eyes on the gallery of images below for all the angles.

The 296-ft. Corsair Nero, built in homage to financier J.P. Morgan's famous yacht, is one of the most beautiful, elegant megayachts ever launched, made all the more striking by its vintage lines. The design is so successful it's hard to imagine this is a brand new boat. In fact, its owner, London-born entrepreneur Neil Taylor, initially set out to restore a motor yacht from Morgan's era, but could not find one that met his requirements. Morgan actually owned four Corsairs; the last, launched in 1930, was 343 feet, cost $2.5 million to build at the time and was later converted into a cruise ship.

Having decided to build the yacht of his dreams and unwilling to compromise, Taylor found that to get it done properly he actually had to create a whole new yachtbuilding facility. This he did within the Yantai Raffles shipyard on China's Shangdong Peninsula, where the Corsair Yachts brand was born. After Taylor spent two years designing the steel-hulled Nero and its furnishings, down to two 656-piece place settings, over 400 craftsmen worked for three-and-a-half years to complete the project, which was kept top secret.

Taylor is now quietly offering the Nero for sale at $105 million (asked once how much his Corsair cost, Morgan snapped, "Sir, if you have to ask you can't afford it"). The yacht, which just made the cover of ShowBoats International, is as stylish in its way as the supermodern sailing yacht Maltese Falcon which recently sold for $100 million. In the meantime, the Nero is also available for charter at a base rate of about $450,000 a week. The Nero accommodates 12 in total luxury. The technology of course is state-of-the-art; her eye-catching smokestack, designed to echo the ones on classic ocean liners, actually houses an emergency generator and electrical switchboards.

Gallery: Corsair Nero

Acres of Burmese teak decking, oak paneling, oil lamps replicated from the Orient Express, coffered ceilings, marble fireplaces, a library, swimming pool on the foredeck, and a skylight in the aft lounge modeled on the one on Errol Flynn's famous yacht Zaca are just some of the highlights. The Nero can do 17 knots with her twin 2,333 hp Caterpillar diesel engines. Noise reduction, stabilizer systems and watermakers are as modern as the most high tech megayacht. The elegant interior is classic of course but features plasma TVs, iPod docks, Wi-Fi, an indoor and outdoor cinema, and ocean-liner style promenade, boat, main and accommodations decks. Check it out in the gallery.

Last week we wrote about the new 200-ft. Roma megayacht designed by Espen Oeino, the world's top star in naval architecture. Like all of Oeino's megabucks creations, the yacht "combines the precision of fine machinery with indulgent finishes and the high-end amenities of a palace."

Now the Norwegian genius has turned his hand to designing a limited edition watch for Swiss luxury timepiece brand Scalfaro, which "evinces a passion for maritime sports married to traditional craftsmanship and sophisticated manufacturing."

The Scalfaro for Espen Oeino Edition watch will be launched during the Monaco Yacht Show in September. Limited to 100 pieces worldwide, the exclusive timepiece will be priced at 6,950 euros or about $10,000.

[via JustLuxe]

Back in March we wrote about Luxury Toys: Mega Yachts book we noted that in the rarefied sphere of the world's greatest yachts the ultimate achievement is to have one designed by a certain Norwegian genius named Espen Oeino. The world's top star in naval architecture, Oeino's megabucks creations "combine the precision of fine machinery with indulgent finishes and the high-end amenities of a palace." That's an accurate description of his latest launch, the $85 million, 200-ft. Roma built by Viareggio. The yacht's six staterooms accommodating 12 guests have en suite facilities, while the main deck full width master with forward panoramic views has a separate lounge area and his-and-hers baths. A VIP stateroom on the bridge deck, an enormous Jacuzzi / pool on the foredeck, cinema/game room, massive salon and dining area, fully equipped gymnasium and spacious sky lounge are all connected via elevator.

[via JamesList]

Regular Luxist readers have followed the saga of the Eclipse, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's newly launched megayacht which at 557 ft. is the largest private yacht in the world. Now anyone with $500 million to spend can top his triumph by nearly 100 ft. with the 656 ft. Everest designed by Donald Starkey. Rumors about the Everest have been kicking around for a while but it seems the ship, which ushers in a new class of "gigayachts", is actually under construction in Fort Lauderdale and is slated for completion next year, meaning Abramovich has only a few months left to enjoy his naval supremacy. The Everest will be longer than two football fields and have five decks serviced by two elevators, a helipad, a submarine and accommodations for 36 passengers in 17 apartments, including an owner's private penthouse suite on the top deck.

[via JustLuxe]

Back in April we reported that despite the economic crisis Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich planned to complete work on the 557-ft. Eclipse, the world's largest and most expensive privately owned yacht. Now the ocean-going behemoth has been launched on its maiden voyage to test operational systems before the finishing touches are applied, at a reported final cost of close to $500 million according to the London Daily Mail. As the all-white megayacht glided out of the Blohm & Voss shipyard (above) in Hamburg, Germany the other day, it dwarfed a navy destroyer it passed along the way.

The Eclipse, which features a military-grade missile defense system, armor plating and bullet-proof windows, will literally eclipse the recently-debuted $350 million, 531-ft. Dubai owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai. The ship also has a submarine that can be launched underwater and dive to a depth of 160 ft. that doubles as an escape pod, as well as two helicopter pads. Abramovich already owns several other superyachts, including the 377-ft. Pelorus, the 282 ft. Ecstasea and the 160 ft. Sussurro, which cost him $25 million a year to maintain, and apparently plans to keep them all.

The world's largest, best designed, and most expensive sailing yacht, the famous 289-ft. Maltese Falcon, has been listed for sale via global online luxury marketplace JamesList for $130 million. Built by Perini Navi for venture capitalist Tom Perkins in 2006, it remains the ne plus ultra of sailing superyachts, a masterpiece of technology and design, and was recently featured on the cover of Luxury Toys: Top of the World. Her revolutionary sailing system - the DynaRig - set a new milestone in yachting history: three self-standing and rotating masts hosting 15 sails for a total sail area of 25,791 square feet for unrivaled, performance maneuverability and record-shattering speed; she can complete Atlantic crossings in ten days.

The yacht's incomparable interior is ultra-luxurious with a rich contemporary décor, and whimsical touches such as a statue modeled on a vintage Bugatti - a reference to the real Bugatti Perkins sold to help finance the yacht's construction. The interior finds its zenith in the atrium where the three decks are united by a circular stairway surrounding the main mast creating a spiraling effect, enhanced by natural light cascading from the top to the lower decks through transparent floors. The main deck is a wide open space featuring a main saloon, an enormous aft cockpit, two separate studio areas and a majestic dining room.

Twelve guests berthed in five lower deck staterooms and one inimitable owner's cabin on the upper deck with a private cockpit, a protected sun bathing area and direct access to the ultramodern wheelhouse at the heart of the whole vessel offer uncompromising comfort. An updated Art Deco feel is achieved using leather, steel and light-colored wood. One of the guest staterooms is a full beam master with a king berth, a separate full beam dressing room and a private gym on the lower deck. The other four guest suites can convert into two enormous VIP suites each with en suite baths. There are also facilities for 16 crew to look after the guests.

Sensation Yachts owner Ivan Erceg has been trying to sell the motor yacht Sensation but the 164-foot yacht has been seized by authorities in the south of France. New Zealand's Sunday Star Times describes a vivid scene with writs being attached to the mast of the yacht while it was berthed at Marseille earlier this month.

Sensation Yachts has been experiencing financial trouble for a while and Erceg has put both the yacht and his mansion on the Cote d'Azur (both of which are owned by his family trust), up for sale. He had been planning to spend time at the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix seeking buyers for the house, the boat or to find investors for Sensation Yachts. Erceq inherited the partially-built yacht after his brother was killed in a car crash in 2005 and he paid for the yacht's completion with his own funds.

The yacht was launched in 2007 from the Sensation Yachts shipyard and has five guest cabins with room for a crew of nine. The luxurious yacht, which has extravagant appointments including a marble bath in the master cabin, cruises at 18 knots. The main salon has a grand piano and a bar. A formal dining room offers seating for ten and there is also ample space on deck for dining alfresco. A Jacuzzi, bar and barbecue can be found on the sunbridge. A listing with Moran yachts shows the price at 29.5 million euros.

She's been a popular yacht on the charter scene since her launch in 2006 but now Talisman C is for sale. The 178-foot yacht built by Turkey's Proteksan Turquoise can accommodate 12 guests in a master suite, three double and two twin cabins with room for a crew of ten. The yacht has a formal dining room, gymnasium, sundeck with a Jacuzzi and a nightclub-like bar area. She cruises at 14 knots. This yacht is listed at 27 million euros.

The Silver Angel yacht launched earlier this year and is already for sale through Camper & Nicholsons. The beautiful black, white and gray Art Deco interior was designed by Argent Design of London in conjunction with Stefano Natucci. The 211-foot Benetti yacht has accommodation for 12 guests in seven cabins, with a full-width owner's suite and gymnasium with sauna on the main deck. There are two large formal saloons, a formal dining saloon and two dining areas on deck. It also has a fully enclosed sun deck lounge with open areas fore and aft that include a mosaic plunge pool and Jacuzzi, full bar, BBQ and a professional golf tee. This yacht has one of the most exquisite interiors around and an equally phenomenal price, Macolm McLean reports that the asking is 68.5 million euros.

It seems that despite a disastrous economy in which he lost a reported $20 billion, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich is pressing on with plans for the Eclipse (above), the $355 million megayacht which will be the world's biggest upon completion next year. The 555-ft. ship, which includes a military-grade missile defense system, armor plating and bullet-proof windows, will literally eclipse the recently-debuted $350 million, 531-ft. Dubai owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai.

There has been much speculation over whether Abramovich would shelve the Eclipse and / or sell off some of his other superyachts such as the 377-ft. Pelorus, but the Moscow Times reports he plans to keep them all. In fact, Abramovich is said to have already purchased a berth for the Eclipse at Porto Montenegro, the new megayacht marina under construction in the former communist country being billed as "the Monaco of the Balkans" (which we reported on last year).