DÜSSELDORF SHOW REPORT
LOA: 39ft 3in (11.99m) BEAM: 13ft 0in (3.97m) ENGINES: Twin Volvo Penta D6 340-380hp TOP SPEED: 32-36 knots PRICE: From £550,000 inc VAT CONTACT: www.fairline.com
After more than a decade, the Princess V40 has been knocked off its throne, and the all-new Fairline Targa 40 didn’t just steal its crown at Düsseldorf, it tore it off, swung it around and blew a raspberry in Plymouth’s general direction before planting it firmly on its own head.
The key to its appeal is a design that looks modern and sporty without scaring the horses or compromising on space. Quite the opposite, thanks to the extra height and beam of the hull, it packs in way more space than its svelte exterior suggests. That starts at the stern with a neat tender garage under the port-side seating that takes a fully inflated 2.3m (or partially deflated 2.7m) Zodiac. Tick the £4,000 tender option and you’ll also get a built-in compressor and charging point for the Torqeedo motor. Rear seats that transform into aft-facing sunbeds by folding the backrest forward are as quick, effective and robust as you’d hope, while the cockpit table that folds under the seating when not required is as brilliant as ever. We’re not so sure about the value of the optional hydraulic bathing platform, given that it’s only a couple of feet wide and doesn’t carry the tender, but the drop-down cockpit balcony with integrated storage for the safety rails and wraparound LED lighting is a must-have, even a
