By: Scott Way
As a boater you're likely aware Cigarette Racing has a long history in the world of 'go-fast' boats. The company was founded by the inimitable Don Aronow during the height of Thunderboat Row and has always at the forefront of the 'high speed low drag' crowd.
With that longstanding reputation still holding firm the company was recently sold to Miami-based investor John H. Ruiz and Lionheart Capital to keep the iconic brand near its original stomping grounds.
Even with all the recent activity Cigarette Racing has never been one to slow down, and the company just announced a partnership with AMG Mercedes and the creation of the one-off Cigarette 41 Nighthawk AMG Black Series; a $1.2 million 41-foot supercharged raceboat packing a staggering 2250 horsepower.
The 41 Nighthawk is a nautical counterpart to the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, which was recently unveiled as a V8 twin-turbocharged 720 horsepower supercar with a $325,000 US pricetag. Unsurprisingly, the GT Black Series is already completely sold out, and with only one 41 Nighthawk to be made, both machines will be an elite collector's item.
Cigarette Racing has actually been producing the 41 Nighthawk for more than six years, but the AMG Black Series is the first to sport five 4.6 L V8 Mercury Racing 450R outboards, not to mention the custom AMG Magmabeam Orange cowling stripes and interior accents. With the additional 450 horsepower compared to the standard 41 Nighthawk the boat will carry a higher top speed, better holeshot acceleration, and the exclusive bragging rights that are cardinal amongst go-fast owners.
In a recent interview with Robb Report, Erik Christiansen, president of Cigarette Racing, said “(b)eing the first Nighthawk to have five outboards does make this boat very special. It takes it to another level of performance.”
According to Christiansen, the boat has been clocked at 91 mph on a digital speedometer and has the potential to surpass 100 mph. The increased speed comes from several design tweaks including dropping over 600 lbs from the top deck by moulding it entirely from carbon fiber. The redesigned deck also has greater rigidity and a lower center of gravity, which will help to create sharper handling and higher speed turns.
Other unique features include seating for 10 during speed runs, with each seat have electric height-adjustability to ensure an unobstructed view through the frameless windshield. The helm features three Garmin 8617 displays, one of which can be set as a rear-facing camera to keep an eye on passengers while at speed. The helm itself has two rows of 3-person seating, a single row of seating aft of the helm for the adventurous, and a rear L-shaped lounge decked out with custom AMG and Cigarette Racing graphics tucked into the upholstery. The boat is also one of the first to receive Mercury's latest 'shadow throttling' system that controls five engines with just two levers.
The one-off 41 Nighthawk AMG Black Series has already been purchased after being spotted while undergoing testing near Miami and quickly snatched up, so you'll have to pick a different colour scheme for your own. “Of course, we’ll happily build anyone a regular Nighthawk," says Christiansen. "Just not in this shade of orange. It’s what makes the AMG Black Series unique.”
Get the first look at the Cigarette 41 Nighthawk AMG Black Series below:
h/t Robb Report, Motor1.com
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