De Simoni and three musketeers

For those born in the 80s, the sight of a sleek Pershing motor yacht leaving a towering trail of spray and foam in its wake evokes a wave of nostalgia. Similarly, the author of this piece, at the age of five, would watch in awe as hydrofoil boats like the "Raketa" and "Kometa" sped by, while floating on an inflatable ring. Around the same time, in the small Italian town of Mondolfo, a true technological marvel was beginning to take shape.

The Pershing brand emerged during the iconic era when the world was reveling in luxury, the cult of success was thriving, yuppies competed with watches, suits, biceps, and tans, and Madonna and Genesis topped the charts. It was also the time of the Space Shuttle program and the launch of MTV.

The rise of the brand has a touch of a "Three Musketeers" tale. Three friends from Mondolfo—Tilli Antonelli, Fausto Filippetti, and Giuliano Onori—founded the company in 1981. Initially, their startup bore the rather mundane name *Cantiere Navale dell’Adriatico* (literally translated as "Adriatic Shipyard") and focused on routine repair and restoration work, including wooden vessels. But soon, the trio's paths crossed with marine architect Fulvio De Simoni.

This meeting marked a turning point for the startup. The first change was the name. De Simoni proposed "Pershing," inspired by General John "Black Jack" Pershing, whose name had already been immortalized by a World War II American tank. (It might also have been a nod to the Pershing 2 missiles, which were a hot topic in the media during the late Cold War). The powerful and masculine name bore no association with Italy—a deliberate choice to aid international marketing, particularly in the U.S. The brand name was meant to symbolize the fast, reliable boats with excellent seaworthiness that Fulvio De Simoni began designing.

Gaining Momentum

The company's first creation was the Pershing 45, launched in 1985. It was a 13-meter open motor yacht with a spacious cockpit, three cabins each with its own bathroom, and the ability to reach speeds of 37 knots.

While powerful, high-speed boats with aggressive lines designed for planing were not new, no one had yet offered such a combination of comfort and quality finishes. The interiors of the Pershing 45 still look strikingly luxurious. Rumor has it that the first hull was purchased by then-New York City Mayor Ed Koch, incognito, to avoid raising taxpayers' eyebrows.

Building on its success, the shipyard focused on creating larger and faster vessels with an emphasis on advanced technologies.

The combination of speed, innovation, and luxurious aesthetics placed the brand in a unique category among superyacht manufacturers.

Pershing's progress gained new momentum in 1998 when it became part of the Ferretti Group, whose quality standards and reputation had always served as a benchmark. This strengthened the brand's presence in Asia, America, and Europe. Under Ferretti Group's patronage, the company launched the Pershing 50 in 2004, which remains the brand’s most popular model, with 105 units sold. That same year, the incomparable Pershing 115 debuted, equipped with a Vericor TF50B gas turbine producing over 5,100 hp, along with two standard MTU diesel engines. The combined output reached 12,500 hp, allowing the 115-foot "cruiser" to plane at 55 knots.

Pershing Technologies

Pershing remains one of the most successful brands to consistently use surface drive propulsion, typically found on racing boats. Since the propeller in a surface drive is only partially submerged, the engines experience less load compared to traditional shaft drive or stern drive systems, significantly improving efficiency. The propulsion system can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally, allowing the pilot—a more fitting term than captain for Pershing—to optimize the position for maximum thrust. The drives can also be tilted to assist with turning, enabling sharp maneuvers even at high speeds. Although handling at low speeds, particularly during docking, can be tricky, this is a small price to pay for leaving an impressive spray of water in your wake, envied by those with slower boats.

Pershing employs vacuum infusion technology for hull molding and extensively uses Kevlar and carbon fiber in its builds. Combined with honeycomb structures for mounting interior panels, this significantly reduces weight while maintaining high strength and rigidity.

Pershing's design philosophy focuses on harmoniously blending interior and exterior living spaces—a challenging feat on sporty models without a full flybridge. Fulvio De Simoni masterfully addressed this by incorporating wide, curved windows that allow ample natural light into the main salon and cabins. One of the brand's signature features is electrically operated glass doors and windows that fully retract, seamlessly merging the salon with the cockpit to create an expansive entertainment area. Many Pershing models also feature a small, elegantly integrated sportbridge with an upper helm station and sunbathing areas.

A New Era

When Enzo Ferrari was asked which Ferrari car was his favorite, he always replied, "The next one." A similar question was once posed to one of Pershing's founders, Tilli Antonelli, and he predictably echoed the sentiment: "The boat our team has just started designing—because for me, the future is always more important than the past."

Changing tastes among luxury yacht buyers recently prompted the Italian manufacturer to make a bold pivot. Pershing is now not just about speed but also about slow living. In addition to impressive dynamic performance and a design that blends sci-fi, military, and supercar aesthetics, the habitability of these yachts has been significantly enhanced. The latest GTX lineup embodies this ethos—sporty crossovers that offer not just speed but also expansive, flexible, and thoughtfully designed spaces for relaxation, especially outdoors. Wider beams, fold-down balconies and terraces, a convertible cockpit deck, and multi-level outdoor lounging areas increase usable space and blur the boundaries between the interior and the outside world. Volvo Penta IPS drives on the smaller models of the series ensure greater fuel efficiency, reduced noise, and maximum maneuverability.

"The launch of the GTX lineup has completely transformed Pershing's sales approach, shifting the focus from speed to a more family-oriented yachting lifestyle," says Alessandro Tirelli, Sales and Marketing Director of Ferretti Group.

The lineup currently includes three models: GTX 70, 80, and 116. It’s worth noting that the slower GTX models with Volvo Penta IPS engines have puzzled some Pershing enthusiasts, but the Generation X series of five models remains a reliable haven for those still seeking high-speed thrills.

The flagship of the shipyard is the 43-meter Pershing 140, the largest yacht built by the brand to date. Launched in 2019, it is entirely constructed from aluminum. Its unique features include a raised pilothouse connected directly to the sun deck, a dedicated owner’s area on the main deck, and a beach area that opens on three sides. This area includes integrated Pershing Wings, which optimize aerodynamics, protect guests in the cockpit at high speeds, and emphasize the brand's sporty DNA.

Our world is accelerating. Everything is speeding up—information consumption, wealth accumulation, fashion trends, decision-making. We are rushing forward faster and faster. What lies ahead is unknown, and the best we can do is enjoy the journey. On board a Pershing, this is especially easy to do.