Riva Ferrari 32 (9.6 m), the “testarossa” of the seas that flew at 55 kn

Recently there has been no small talk about the carmaker in the red. Ferrari, in fact, has just won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second year in a row, won in F1 in Monaco (with 2 DNFs immediately following in Canada), and, in the sailing world, has entered into a partnership with sailor Soldini, generating not inconsiderable attention and rumors. All that would be missing is the world of powerboats, it would seem, yet in this, Ferrari, has already made its contribution, and what a contribution… It was the mythical 1990s and Ferrari signed the Testarossa of the seas in a partnership that was nothing short of iconic: Ferrari + Riva. Here, lest we forget, is the legendary Riva Ferrari 32, a 55-knot monster produced in only 40 examples…

Riva Ferrari 32

Maranello, 1990s. Enzo Ferrari had recently passed away, but one of his last aspirations was to make a supercar of the seas. The automaker thus approached Riva, which immediately grasped the goodness of the idea. The project would be handled by Gino Gervasoni himself, then head of Cantieri Riva. The synergy is close, the work painstaking. On the one hand, in Ferrari, the engineering side is developed, with studies on materials, aerodynamics and styling. On the other side, Riva, processes the incoming inputs from Emilia-Romagna, adapting them to the peculiarities of ship design and construction. The goal is simple, to create an exceptional hull, capable of marrying the philosophies of both realities in the best possible way, thus being able to carry both names. A small masterpiece is born, it is he, the Riva Ferrari 32, strong with a pair of 390-horsepower BPM Vulcano V8s, style and luxury to spare, and outstanding performance.

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Riva Ferrari 32 – Exteriors and volumes

Mandatory Corsa Red, deep V and carbon spoiler above the wheelhouse. The rest of the design continues in the same vein: the hull is sleek, air intakes at the broadside, a clear bow, and a well-backed cockpit. Basically, the Riva Ferrari 32 is a red dart with spoilers and power to spare. It is certainly not a boat designed for cruising and comfort under sail, and it is quite evident when you look at it. The design makes it a statement; everything is sculpted to be so. But, mind you, there is no shortage of luxury.

At the stern, a convenient ladder accompanies you aboard, where it is immediately apparent that every space has been exploited to the last millimeter. The cockpit, classic in layout, consists of a large sundeck and dual helm seats, the latter of which can be folded down so you can choose the driving position that best suits your taste. Everything, here as in the rest of the volumes, is reduced to the essentials, and so it becomes the role of design and quality of materials to make the environment pleasant and welcoming through intelligent and aesthetically appreciable solutions.

The wheelhouse, finally, recovers the Riva/VDO instrumentation, offering it in full Ferrari style, almost as if it were a racing dashboard, marrying, however, the whole thing with the elegance with which the Riva brand is strong. In the bow, a cabin with a separate bathroom concludes the spaces, making the Riva Ferrari 32, effectively, a weekender, with a toilet and sleeping accommodations for two.

Riva Ferrari 32 – Motorization and performance

At 9.6 meters long and powered by a pair of 390-horsepower BPM Vulcano 400 V8 engines, the 32′ is basically comparable to an offshorer of its contemporary. In fact, the maximum speed is 55 knots, equivalent to about 100 km/h. A result achieved by leaving nothing to chance and facilitated by the large carbon spoiler that, thanks to studies conducted in maranello, is able to offer lift at high speeds, thus lightening the hull and increasing its performance.

Data Sheet

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