Collaborations between automakers and boat manufacturers are not new, but for Toyota such a move would be pointless, since the Japanese company has been building boats since 1997.

Its latest model is called Ponam-31 and has been launched in Japan through a network of 49 dealers, with prices starting from 29,700,000 yen ($276,904). Toyota says the Ponam-31 inaugurates a new class of boats called sports utility cruiser.

Said to combine performance with comfort, the Ponam-31 is designed for pleasure cruising as well as fishing and marine sports. Powered by two 3.0-liter inline four-cylinder direct-injection diesel engines with 260PS each, the Ponam-31 is powerful yet fuel-efficient.

Sourced from the Land Cruiser Prado, the engines are specially tuned for marine applications and feature an optimized turbocharger, intercooler and fuel injectors, with Toyota saying that emissions, noise, and vibration levels are kept to a minimum.

With a rigid 31-foot (9.45-meter) high-strength aluminum alloy hull which ensures higher rigidity, strength, durability, and fracture resistance than fiber-reinforced plastic, the Ponam-31 benefit from a reduction of the reverberations and noise generated by wave impacts.

The Ponam-31 features automotive-derived optional extras such as Toyota Drive Assist (a pilot support system) and the Toyota Virtual Anchor System, which is an automatic piloting control system that holds the boat in position or maintains the heading of the bow.

With its single central passage, the cabin is designed for user-friendliness. The sofa and counter can be laid out in various arrangements for added comfort and convenience.

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