TANGAZO


Thursday, August 1, 2013

The 100mph James Bond-style boat built to chase pirates and fitted with remote control machine gun expected to sell for fraction of its £1.5million value (weapon not included)


  • .XSR Interceptor has been described as 'the Bugatti Veyron of the seas' 
  • .Built from Kevlar and carbon fibre it has two engines putting out 1,600bhp 
  • .A luxury version featured on BBC's Top Gear being raced against a Ferrari
  • .Built for the military, it is being put up for auction in Hampshire tomorrow

This James Bond-style powerboat was built to chase down pirates with its remote controlled machine gun and 100mph speeds - but now it could be yours.
The cutting edge boat - the fastest military vessel ever made - is on general sale and is tipped to go for a fraction of its £1.5 million value.
When it was launched in 2006 the XSR Interceptor was described as 'the Bugatti Veyron of the seas' in homage to its incredible 1,600bhp power and stylish design.
Dream machine: The XSR Interceptor powerboat made from Kevlar and carbon fibre was built to chase down pirates with its remote controlled machine gun and 100mph top speed
Dream machine: The XSR Interceptor powerboat made from Kevlar and carbon fibre was built to chase down pirates with its remote controlled machine gun and 100mph top speed
Cutting edge: The military vessel is being put up for auction with no reserve and is tipped to sell for a fraction of its £1.5 million value
Cutting edge: The military vessel is being put up for auction with no reserve and is tipped to sell for a fraction of its £1.5 million value
After unveiling the boat Prince Michael of Kent described it as 'a true super product of which British industry should be proud'.
 
Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson called it 'the most beautiful thing ever created by man' when it featured on the BBC show.
But seven years on, the 48ft superboat is now set to go under the hammer with no reserve - and anyone can bid provided they put down a £50 refundable deposit.
It is among 300 lots including two other incomplete boats being sold off by manufacturers XSMG World to recover money owed to HM Revenue and Customs.
Cockpit: The cabin seats are worth £90,000 alone
Cockpit: The cabin seats are worth £90,000 alone
Powerplant: The boat's two powerful Isottafraschini engines put out a whopping 16000hp
Powerplant: The boat's two powerful Isottafraschini engines put out a whopping 1600hp
Impressed: Top Gear presenters James May and Richard Hammond pictured aboard the futuristic craft. The show saw the boat being raced against a Ferrari Daytona in the South of France
Impressed: Top Gear presenters James May and Richard Hammond pictured aboard the futuristic craft. The show featured a luxury version of the boat being raced against a Ferrari Daytona in the South of France
The cutting edge boat is built from Kevlar and carbon fibre and boasts a camouflage paint job and top spec navigation equipment.
It even has a 0.5mm machine gun turret that pops up from inside the front of the vessel although the gun itself is not included in the sale.
The onboard toilets cost a staggering £7,000 and the cabin seats are worth £90,000.
The dashboard was created by the same people who made the Bugatti's, the front deck is crafted out of glass and the rear is made out of the finest teak.
Although the boat, called No Boundaries, is expected to sell for a snip, the winning bidder will have to fork out £4,000 to pay overdue marina fees.
The buyer will also have to negotiate a price for the boat's two huge 800hp turbocharged engines which are currently on loan from the suppliers.
The carbon fibre and kevlar craft streaks across the sea powered by two huge engines
Power: The carbon fibre and Kevlar craft streaks across the sea powered by two huge engines
The 48ft superboat, named No Boundaries, is among 300 lots including two other incomplete boats being sold off by manufacturers XSMG
The 48ft superboat, named No Boundaries, is among 300 lots including two other incomplete boats being sold off by manufacturers XSMG
Streamlined: The boat, the fastest military vessel ever made - is being sold with no reserve and is tipped to sell for a fraction of its £1.5 million value
Streamlined: The boat, the fastest military vessel ever made - is being sold with no reserve and is tipped to sell for a fraction of its £1.5 million value
A luxury model was driven by TV presenter James May in a race against Richard Hammond's Ferrari Daytona from Portofino, Italy, to St Tropez, France in 2009.
It had also been listed for sale but has since been withdrawn.
Shane Wisdom, of auctioneers GJ Wisdom, said: 'We have been instructed to auction the items from XSMG World on behalf of HM Revenue and Customs.
'All of the items are being sold with no reserve, so the price will simply be determined by the demand on the day of the auction.
'Provided prospective buyers pay a refundable £50 deposit to register, anyone can place a bid.
'The nature of auctions is that items don't come with a guarantee or warranty so these items are not going to go for their retail value.'
'We have advertised the sale nationally and there has already been a lot of interest.'
The XSR Interceptor boasts a 'revolutionary' stabilisation system offering control in high-speed turns and greater stability in extreme weather conditions.
Hot rod of the seas: The dashboard was created by the same people who made the Bugatti Veyron's
Hot rod of the seas: The dashboard was created by the same people who made the Bugatti Veyron's
The onboard toilets cost a staggering £7,000
The onboard toilets cost a staggering £7,000
Scuppered: Although the boat is expected to sell for a snip, the winning bidder will have to fork out £4,000 to pay overdue marina fees
Scuppered: Although the boat is expected to sell for a snip, the winning bidder will have to fork out £4,000 to pay overdue marina fees
It has a range of 1,000 miles and can carry up to 12 passengers.
XSMG World says the vessel 'provides governments and commercial users with high speed interception and offshore patrol capability to counter the most complex of modern waterborne threats'.
Its website claims their 'world-class' team had come up with a boat that 'redefines the operational boundaries of high speed intercept, pursuit and patrol in coastal waters'.
Speaking at its launch in 2006, XSMG World boss Ian Sanderson said: 'Globally the ultra-rich are spending vast amounts of money on luxury 'supercars' but there was no marine equivalent, so we challenged ourselves to create one.
'We wanted the XSR48 to be state of the art so have taken the DNA and high performance of a supercar and transformed it into a boat.
'The top speed of the boat is 100mph making in the world's fastest diesel boat. It is the Bugatti Veyron of the marine world.
'If you are spending a million pounds you may as well buy something that can take up to five friends and something you can eat, sleep and entertain on.
'The major advantage of the superboat as opposed to the supercar is the freedom it offers.
'There are no boundaries with this boat. Everywhere you go these days on land there are speed traps and cameras, but here you just have the wide open ocean in front of you.'
The auction will take place at the XSMG World site in Marchwood, Hants, tomorrow.

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