It’s not unusual to see Japanese automakers producing other types of motorized vehicles. Honda makes everything from jet airplanes to lawnmowers, for example, while Suzuki is at least as well known for its motorcycles as it is for its cars. Toyota, for its part, sticks mostly to automobiles, but it also makes boats – like the one you see here.
The latest product of Toyota’s marine division is the Ponam-28V, providing a new point of entry to the lineup below the existing Ponam-31 and Ponam-35. The design was previewed as a concept at the Japan International Boat Show this past Match, where the design won awards, and is now going into production in conjunction with diesel equipment giant Yanmar.
The 28-foot-long vessel is built around a hull made of fiberglass, carbon fiber, and aluminum, and is powered by a marinized version of the 3.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine from the Land Cruiser Prado – the model sold in America (sans diesel engine) as the Lexus GX.
It also features a Virtual Anchor system that keeps the vessel on station instead of drifting – which, as any seasoned sailor could tell you, is not easily done in a vessel with only one propeller.
The Toyota Ponam-28V will be sold through a network of 50 dealers across Japan, with a retail price set at under 20 million yen ($190k).
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