The Azimut Grande 30M won the 2026 Best of Show Award for superyachts over 60 feet at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, making its American debut.
Τhe Azimut Grande 30M has won the Best of Show Award 2026 in the “Superyachts – over 60 Feet” category, at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, where she is making her American debut. The award, organized by the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in partnership with Fox Sports, recognizes the most innovative boats on display at the show.
“We are particularly proud to receive this award here in Fort Lauderdale, a market that has always played a special role in Azimut’s history. In 1982, we introduced in Miami the first yacht over 30 metres built in fibreglass, marking a turning point for the industry. Forty-four years later, we return with the Grande 30M, continuing that pioneering spirit. This recognition is a testament to the work and dedication of all Azimut people who make this journey possible every day,” commented Federico Ferrante, President of Azimut Benetti Americas.
The new Grande 30M bears the signature of Alberto Mancini, who designed the exterior lines, and the architecture studio m2atelier for the interiors. This marks the first collaboration between the two designers and introduces the Barefoot Luxury concept, developed by m2atelier for Azimut: an approach that reflects the vision of a new generation of owners, drawn to an informal and authentic lifestyle on board.
The exteriors of the Grande 30M stand out for their striking purity of line, crowned by the Rooftop Lounge. Here, the reimagined Infinity Skydeck – now entirely walkaround – lets the Upper Deck unfold seamlessly from stern to bow, offering guests an unprecedented sense of freedom and a fluid dialogue between indoors and out. Full-height windows disappear completely, turning the Glass House into a panoramic living room open on three sides and suspended above the sea. Completing the vision, the Deck2Deck™ Terrace unfolds to expand the cockpit into an elevated, sea-facing platform. Together, these elements compose a continuous, multi-level stage where relaxation, entertainment, and life in harmony with the marine world flow naturally into one another.
Beneath its sculptural form, the Grande 30M embodies the most advanced naval innovation developed by the Group R&D Department. It is the only yacht in its segment to unite carbon fiber construction, a wave-piercing bow, and a double-chine hull designed by P. L. Ausonio Naval Architecture: a combination that maximizes lightness while delivering exceptional hydrodynamic efficiency. Propulsion is entrusted to a next-generation Rolls Royce propulsion system with mtu engines and POD. This breakthrough solution ensures a 15% gain in efficiency over conventional shaft line systems, cutting fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions while enhancing agility. The benefits extend further: the compact installation frees space on board, maneuverability is significantly improved, and both noise and vibration are minimized, allowing the Grande 30M to deliver the performance and handling of a far leaner yacht.
M2ATELIER BAREFOOT LUXURY INTERIORS FOR THE GRANDE 30M
Grande 30M unveil interiors by m2atelier, who bring to life the Barefoot Luxury design language created for Azimut. It is a vision of luxury reimagined as informal and contemporary, linear and effortlessly elegant, a narrative that begins in the open air and flows seamlessly indoors, speaking a single, harmonious language. This aesthetic rests on a carefully balanced palette of materials and textures, refined gestures inspired by industrial design, and solutions that appear simple and restful, yet conceal an extraordinary sophistication. A style that never raises its voice, designed to make life on board feel authentic, where spaces adapt with ease to the rhythm of the day and the desires of those who inhabit them.
The Feature Walls of the new project stand as the ultimate statement of solutions that appear simple at first glance yet embody remarkable sophistication. Traditionally, the aft wall of the saloon has served as a decorative canvas, enriched with precious materials and adorned with artworks. m2atelier reimagines these surfaces, turning them into unique expressions: works of art in their own right. On the Grande 30M, the Deconstructed Wall is an exercise in architectural refinement, creating an effect of suspension and translucency through the use of glass, floating steps, and full-height decorative elements with a gentle profile reminiscent of an aircraft’s wings.
The Feature Walls embody an unmistakable creative vision, revealed also through m2atelier’s radical conception of line that shapes the interiors of all three yachts. Sharp, clean forms prevail, with curves employed only when essential as elements of transition, while the straight line becomes the purest expression of thought and refinement. In this interplay of horizontals, verticals and diagonals, spaces take shape with panels that approach yet never touch, expanding perspectives and creating a sense of harmony. Even the dining tables – the plectrum-inspired form on the Grande 30M beside the Gradient Wall – echo this design philosophy, turning geometry into comfort and conviviality.
