The verdict The GTX116 is Pershing's clever reconciliation of speed and volume: triple-waterjet propulsion delivers up to 35 knots while a beamier hull yields real interior space. The result is the most usable fast yacht the brand has built.
The Pershing GTX116 is the boat that finally makes the Pershing trade-off optional. For decades the brand asked buyers to give up volume for speed; the GTX line asks them to give up much less. This review reflects a one-day, high-speed coastal sea trial and overnight off the Ligurian coast aboard a 2025 hull with a crew of four, arranged through Pershing.
The GTX116 is a “sport-utility yacht,” Pershing’s term for a faster, more spacious reinterpretation of its sportcruiser identity. On the water, the reinterpretation holds up.
Substance: speed without the usual penalty
The headline is the propulsion. Triple MAN V12 diesels — 1,800 hp standard, 2,000 hp optional, the latter on our hull — drive triple waterjets to a top speed around 35 knots. That is genuine Pershing pace, and on the trial the boat held it with the composure of a much smaller sportcruiser. Acceleration onto the plane is brisk and the waterjets give it tight, confident low-speed handling around a marina.
What the GTX adds is volume. The beamier, more upright hull and superstructure yield real interior space and up to five en-suite cabins below — accommodation that older Pershings, with their low, sharp profiles, simply could not offer at speed.
| Dimension | Weight | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Substance (the vessel) | 30% | 5.4 / 6.0 |
| Execution (build/engineering) | 25% | 4.5 / 5.0 |
| Service | 20% | 3.5 / 4.0 |
| Setting / experience | 15% | 2.8 / 3.0 |
| Value | 10% | 1.8 / 2.0 |
The range caveat
The cost of 35 knots is autonomy: around 400 nautical miles, which makes the GTX116 emphatically a coastal boat. This is not a flaw so much as a category definition — nobody cross-decks a 35-knot waterjet yacht for ocean passages — but it must be stated plainly. The buyer who wants to island-hop fast and entertain at anchor is served; the buyer who wants to cross seas is not.
Execution, accommodation and service
Build quality was high. The waterjet installation is well integrated, the ride at speed is composed and dry, and the interior finish was consistent with no notable trim issues. The five-cabin lower deck is the practical revelation — full-height, properly proportioned guest cabins on a boat that still runs at 35 knots.
On charter, service was crew-led and capable, with the layout supporting easy circulation between the galley and the large aft and foredeck social zones. The foredeck lounge, in particular, turns into a second living area at anchor.
Value and verdict
On value, the GTX116 sits in the region of €13 to €15 million depending on specification. That is a real premium, and you are paying for the engineering that reconciles speed with space — triple waterjets are not cheap. For a buyer who refuses to choose between a fast boat and a spacious one, the GTX116 is the most convincing answer Pershing has built, and the per-knot, per-cabin proposition holds up against anything in the fast-yacht segment.
The Premium Standard: 18.0 / 20
Verification
Every factual claim in this review was checked against external sources before publication, on 2026-04-05. Where a figure could not be independently confirmed, it is described in approximate terms in the text. To challenge a fact, write to corrections@premiumtravelreview.com.
Frequently asked questions
- How fast is the Pershing GTX116?
- Top speed is around 35 knots with the optional triple 2,000 hp MAN V12 engines and waterjets; the standard 1,800 hp package is slightly slower.
- What are its dimensions?
- Length overall is about 35.3 metres with a beam of roughly 7.7 metres.
- What is the range?
- Range is short at around 400 nautical miles — this is a high-speed coastal sport-utility yacht, not a long-range cruiser.
- How many cabins?
- Up to five en-suite cabins on the lower deck, a notable amount of accommodation for a boat this fast.
