Nine years on from the original 43, Pardo Yachts recalibrates expectations with the 43R, for full-on fun and uncompromising performance
Few boats make the kind of impact that the Pardo 43 achieved on its launch in 2017. A new brand, with a new model and an all-new look, it was soon the talk of the show season throughout Europe and the US.
With its IPS drives and one-level walkaround deck design, the 43 offered a cocktail of style and comfort that proved to be irresistible. Its focus on fun and practicality hit the sweet spot for sports weekenders. Now the 43 has been joined by the brand new 43R, a radical re-think of the original winning concept. It retains all the essentials that underwrite the astonishing success of the 43 – with more than 330 built – while adding a powerful surge of adrenalin.
So the sociable cockpit arrangement has been retained, with redesigned paired sofas facing each other across the table, and the useful garage and stowage area under the sunbed. Up at the bow, a forward-facing twin bench seat perfectly complements the expansive sunpad, for unforgettable wind-in-the-hair cruising adventures.
Dead amidships three racing seats nestle beneath a protective carbon fibre T-top, their occupants shielded from the slipstream by that steeply raked windscreen. Sturdy handrails add extra security. Sprung cleats, stitched upholstery and an air of hand built craftsmanship will all seem familiar to fans of the Pardo brand.
Down below, the quality of the interior fit-out becomes apparent in the tactile appeal of choice Italian fabrics and beautiful veneers. In terms of layout the new R model still offers the unbeatable combinations that remain such a selling point for the original 43 – the option of one or two cabins, with the forward V-berth converting into a spacious, secluded private dinette forward. But now there are also the new hull windows, to let the daylight in.
It is beneath the waterline that Pardo’s ‘evolution of a revolution’ catchline truly applies. The reason is of course the new model’s radical change in propulsion technology, from twin inboards to triple outboards. The stern sections and underwater profile of the 43R have been extensively redrafted and totally optimised for the new engines. They had to be – in its most potent variant the 11-ton Pardo 43R packs no less than 1,800 horsepower from three Mercury Verado V-12s. With their
contra-rotating propellers, steerable gearcases and two-speed automatic transmissions, these 48- valve, 7.6-litre power plants are engineering masterpieces. And they deliver.
The original 43 is a fine sports yacht, with sweet handling, willing acceleration and a top speed in cruising trim of around 37 knots. With its triple 600-horsepower outboard installation in full cry, however, the R model posts a stratospheric maximum of over 50 knots, transforming this sleek and sophisticated Italian sports cruiser at a stroke into a high-octane muscleboat. Razor-sharp helm response and rock-steady tracking come courtesy of an advanced deep-V hull.
Pardo’s new 43R exudes all the style and class of the original 43 and combines it with thoroughbred performance, for a breathtaking driver experience.
Pardo 43R specifications
Length overall: 49ft 0in (14.93m)
Hull length: 46ft 4in (14.14m)
Beam: 13ft 9in (4.20m)
Draught: 4ft 3in (1.30m)
Displacement: 11 tonnes approx (24,250lb)
Fuel: 550 gal (2,500lt)
Water: 88 gal (400lt)
Engines (std): 3 x 400hp Mercury V10i Verado
Engines (opt): 3 x 600hp Mercury V12 Verado
