Ferretti 500 first look: New entry-level model to expand Italian yard’s range

The Ferretti 500, which comes into the range beneath the 550, is the new gateway into the Ferretti Yachts family.

There is skill in designing a so-called ‘entry- level’ boat for a brand like Ferretti, customers don’t expect to feel they are getting an inferior product because the model is the cheapest in the stable yet the margins on boats of this size are wafer thin.

This hasn’t stopped the Italian yard from throwing the big guns at the Ferretti 500. Filippo Salvetti penned the exterior, while Ideaitalia is responsible for the interior. The result is a boat that is handsome and classy if a little safe in its design language.

The idea was to create a boat that feels like home, according to the yard, and though endless levels of customisation aren’t practical on production boats of this scale, two distinct interior finishes – light oak Santorini and the darker Portofino – give customers a degree of control over the look and feel of their Ferretti 500.

It is available with either two ensuite cabins and a utility space, or three cabins and two bathrooms, the latter a good choice for a 50-footer. The sole engine option of twin Cummins 550s keeps things simple, the 30-knot top speed enough for most, with an estimated range of 200nm at 25 knots.

The Ferretti 500 looks a classy addition to the 50ft flybridge arena.

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Specifications

LOA: 50ft 4in (15.33m)
Beam: 14ft 1in (4.29m)
Engines: Twin Cummins QSB 6.7 550hp
Top speed: 30 knots
Starting price: €860,000 (ex. VAT)