Everybody loves the style and lavish performance of high-end luxury vehicles like the Mercedes Black Series. Similarly, who doesn’t like a really fast boat? Combining these two concepts provides a powder keg of opulent design and heart-pounding performance. The Black Series Marauder from Cigarette boats provided such adrenaline pumping eye candy at the Miami International Boat Show, where it sold for just under $1 million.
The Marauder was the second ‘AMG Inspired’ boat from Cigarette. As a company that has made itself synonymous with performance boats, it seems only fitting that they share design concepts with the likes of Mercedes. The 50’ speed demon was designed and built around two 1,350 HP engines (with the ability to add a third if the owner desires) from Mercury Racing. Capable of speeds of up to 125 mph, the boat stays true to its aesthetic roots, a limited production, 2012 C63 AMG Coupe Black Series with a high-revving AMG 6.3-liter V8 engine that accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. “The boat’s striking black and white design scheme is carried throughout from the Mercedes color-matched paint to the newly designed interior,” explains Skip Braver, President and CEO of Cigarette Racing Team. “While the 50 Marauder is “inspired” by AMG, it does not use Mercedes AMG parts; it is Cigarette design and engineering, which is based on the companies’ mutual goals of perfection and performance.”
Black Series Design
With Cigarette’s reputation for designing fast and high-end nautical craft, the question that begs to be asked is: What sets the Black Series Marauder apart from other Cigarette boats? Braver says, “When Cigarette designs a boat, it starts with a clean slate, as each boat is custom-built for a particular customer. With this model, the design and engineering team looked at every aspect of the boat to see how it could be improved, perfected, and modified to earn the ‘Inspired by AMG Black Series’ name.”
The 50’ Marauder, already part of the Cigarette model lineup, was re-engineered to become the new standard model, incorporating changes to the cockpit configuration and the aerodynamics of the deck and engine hatch. The Marauder is also a heavy boat, weighing more than 14,000 pounds, but with all of that horse power it still easily achieves racing speeds. “The multi-stepped running surface provides the smoothest running boat that could handle and maximize the power and acceleration of the 1350 HP Mercury Racing Engines,” explains Braver.
Over 100 billet aluminum pieces were integrated throughout the design, customized for the AMG Black Series boat. “They [billet pieces] incorporate a new Cigarette formula of double-anodizing for corrosion resistance. Each piece is machined twice — once to cut, once to add anodizing and detail, and then the pieces are clear-coated to provide extra durability.”
A Garmin navigation system was coupled with the Mercury Racing DTS throttles and shifters. “This Digital Throttle & Shift eliminates a mechanical cable running from the controls to the engine & transmission which instead is controlled through a wire to the electronic control module [ECM] on the engine,” Braver explains. The ECM enables a much smoother operation of the twin Mercury 1350s. Adding fuel and noise conservation to the equation, the Marauder is incredibly efficient, running on pump fuel without headers.
Even Cigarette’s custom-made upholstery exemplifies influence from the exotic automotive field. Each seat or element in the cockpit is created as part of the overall paint, color, and concept of the boat. “Whether it is a bolster seat, a grad handle or a custom-embroidered pillow, it receives concentrated design and coordination with the overall boat design.”
The AMG Connection
A car company and a boat company working jointly is not a new concept, but the AMG connection helped push the Cigarette designers. “The partnership with AMG and Cigarette has pushed our design and engineering teams beyond their normal quest to do their absolute best,” explains Braver. Cigarette’s relationship with AMG is one based on mutual admiration and respect. AMG has referred to Cigarette as ‘Formula 1 on water,’ which is a label the company proudly wears. “The boat has been described as a “dragster” because of its rapid acceleration, but it handles like a true sports car — like an AMG,” Braver says.
Braver has a long professional affiliation with the AMG brand as a customer and a colleague who drives and builds high-performance machines that are luxury brands. “We are always trying to see how we can use the latest technology, the best materials, the best workmanship — whether it is a hinge, a specially designed sound system, instrument lighting — every aspect of design and engineering is involved in creating what our customers can enjoy as the perfect boat,” says Braver.
As with any design and engineering venture, getting all the vendors, work, and testing done under tight deadlines is extremely demanding of the team’s time and resources. “Keeping boat building on schedule has been a task that we have approached with the same attention to detail — inventorying and collecting all the right parts, making certain our construction schedule runs properly,” says Braver. Especially for a boat of this racing caliber, it is important that that the engines arrive, are installed, and tested all according to schedule. Braver continues, “That’s what makes boat building an exciting industry — day in and day out.”
While you won’t receive any special discounts for buying both the Mercedes C63 Black Series and the matching Cigarette Racing Marauder together, rest assured the pair would surely take care of any need for speed.
