It’s one of the most glamorous movie events in the world, hosting A-listers from Johnny Depp to Quentin Tarantino.
But Cannes has now been taken up a notch, with BMW debuting its luxurious new yacht at the 76th annual film festival.
The new ‘Icon’ boat took the French coast by storm today as it showcased a lavish yet emission-free form of travel.
Beyond its slick glass exterior lies 360° rotating seats, a voice-controlled touchscreen and numerous other high-tech features fit for royalty.
Even its sound system screams movie star glamour with an exclusive soundtrack by the Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer stowed inside.
BMW debuted its zero-emission ‘Icon’ yacht at the glamorous 76th Cannes Film Festival
Amid its debut, the German car firm stressed that its prism-shaped boat ‘encapsulates a future-facing form of luxury’, with designers across Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai having worked on it.
It said: ‘The innovative craft appeals with its unique design, and it also offers passengers a totally new experience of mobility. Here, amid an exclusive on-board ambience, exquisite comfort converges with a significantly reduced environmental impact.’
Reaching speeds of 34mph, the 13.15m-length Icon is said to be a ‘trailblazer for a new breed of watercraft’ that sets ‘new standards’ with its electric-powered system.
Up until now, BMW claims that electric sea travel has been limited to smaller and slower boats with little range.
But an innovation known as hydrofoils has been implemented to help Icon achieve higher speeds while maintaining the comfort of passengers.
This mechanism allows the boat to ride on wing structures positioned below the water while the hull floats above the surface.
Its technology was initially used in yacht racing and is said to reduce the Icon’s energy requirements by up to 80 per cent compared with other vessels.
Meanwhile, two 100kW electric motors convert the energy of six batteries into a range of around 100km, with an average operating speed of 27mph.
The glass boat is equipped with a 32-inch touchscreen display set up with voice controls
Beyond its slick glass exterior lies a 360° rotating seats and numerous high-tech features
An innovation known as hydrofoils has been implemented within the Icon to help it achieve higher speeds while maintaining the comfort of passengers
The German car firm also claims that the Icon yacht is ‘almost silent’ as it runs in water
The 13.15m-length Icon yacht said to be a ‘trailblazer for a new breed of watercraft’
It has been made clear that the Icon is ‘not a design study or a concept’ but a ‘production-ready’ example of pioneering technology
This is controlled from the Icon’s command station which is equipped with a classic BMW-styled steering wheel.
It is here that a 32-inch touchscreen display is also located, set up with voice controls to help provide useful information such as weather reports.
The German firm claims the Icon is ‘almost silent’ as it runs too, with a lack of ‘vibrations or shocks’ during the ride.
It has been made clear that the Icon is ‘not a design study or a concept’ but a ‘production-ready’ example of pioneering technology.
Yet, BMW told MailOnline there was ‘no current information’ on when this may land in the market – and at what price.
The group continued: ‘THE ICON impresses with a powerful drive system that creates neither noise nor emissions. Foiling technology allows it to reach high speeds without generating waves or dragging out a wake behind it. Indeed, the only things THE ICON leaves behind during every journey are pleasure and joy.’
MailOnline takes a ride in the £110,000 BMW i7 featuring a 32-INCH Theatre Screen that folds out from the panoramic glass sunroof
The days of shotgunning the front seat may soon be over thanks to BMW, which has taken backseat luxury to new levels in its high-tech £110,000 smart car.
MailOnline took a ride in the new fully-electric BMW i7, which has 5G connectivity, interior mood lighting and a super-wide ‘theatre screen’ in the back.
The 8K screen, which measures 32×9 inches, folds out from the sun roof at the touch of a button and streams video from Netflix, YouTube and more.
BMW gave me a ride during my morning commute through west London – a welcome alternative to the cramped and temperamental Underground.
The BMW i7 is a new electric variant of the BMW 7 Series, which has been in production by the German automaker since 1977.
According to the firm, the new car redefines luxury ‘with new levels of electrification, sustainability and digitalisation’.
BMW i7, part of the legendary Series 7 range, boasts 5G connectivity, interior mood lighting and a theatre screen’ in the backseat
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