Aston Martin has never been a stranger to collaboration, but its latest venture at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show feels like something altogether different. This time, the British automaker traded the wind tunnel for the open sea, partnering with yacht designers Bannenberg & Rowell, Denison Yachting, and Holman Motorcars to create a pair of bespoke Vanquish models known as Above and Beyond. The result is a rare synthesis of automotive precision and nautical elegance, two one-of-one cars that look just as at home on the marina as they do on the boulevard.
The project began as an artistic dialogue between land and sea. Bannenberg & Rowell, the British studio behind some of the world’s most recognizable superyachts, brought its maritime flair to Aston Martin’s Q division, which handles the brand’s bespoke commissions. Each car takes direct inspiration from the studio’s forthcoming Turquoise yachts that share their names. Above, the Vanquish Coupe, and Beyond, the Vanquish Volante, both wear a shade of Lightning Silver that glows with subtle blue undertones under sunlight. The lower body panels shimmer in gloss blue-tinted carbon fiber, separated by a fine silver pinstripe that traces the profile like a yacht’s bootstripe slicing through water.
It’s in the details where the nautical theme truly comes alive. On the mirrors, a small but playful flourish brings a smile to those in the know: the driver’s side wears a red accent while the passenger side carries green, a nod to the port and starboard navigation lights found on every vessel. Chrome side strakes with V12 badging gleam like polished deck fittings, and even the fender infills echo the gleam of marine hardware. Inside, the atmosphere feels more like the cabin of a luxury yacht than a grand tourer. Glacier White leather wraps the cabin, while intricate V-shaped quilting ripples across the doors and seats, inspired by the bow waves that break from a hull at speed. Blue-tinted carbon fiber trim adds a modern edge, balancing the craftsmanship with technology.
For designer Dickie Bannenberg, the experience of translating yacht design principles into a car was both challenging and familiar. He compared it to working within tighter parameters, yet still governed by the same obsessions with material quality and finish. His father, Jon Bannenberg, was widely considered the father of modern superyacht design, and subtle homages to his work are woven into every inch of the Vanquishes.
Above and Beyond are not just cars, nor are they mere design experiments. They are a celebration of shared philosophy between two crafts that live and breathe through form, detail, and exclusivity. Whether gliding down the coast or parked beside a 60-meter yacht, these Aston Martins speak the same language of motion, precision, and luxury that transcends both land and sea.
