There is no doubt that Cantiere del Pardo has big plans for the Grand Soleil brand after its confident appearance at the boot Düsseldorf 2025 hardly anyone. The exhibited Grand Soleil Blue as a 33-foot-long weekender now forms the lower end of the model range. But even upwards there is more to come. The Italians have been shaking up the maxi segment since 2022 with the Grand Soleil 72 on. This was followed the very next year by the 65-foot model. And the new series flagship, the GS 80, is due to be launched as early as 2026. Reason enough to give the new section a name. Grand Soleil is now labelling the models over 60 feet with the designation Plus. In other words: there is more here, also in terms of customisation.
Designer Matteo Polli explains what this means for the 23.99 metre long and 6.60 metre wide novelty: "Designing the hull lines for an 80-foot yacht is a challenging task that is made even more complex by the variety of system configurations that an owner can choose," explains Matteo Polli. "With the Grand Soleil Plus 80 Long Cruise, we wanted to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible and optimise the placement of all the important systems."
A Grand Soleil with two rudder blades
Cantiere del Pardo builds the first unit as a long-cruise version, i.e. with a slightly raised cabin superstructure and all-round window strip. The GS Plus 80 also features the typical "Polli stern" with dimensions that protrude from the deck and are wasp-waisted towards the waterline. However, the crack is less extreme and features a twin rudder system for the first time. In combination with the telescopic keel of construction number one, which covers draughts of 2.80 to 4.80 metres, it should also be possible to head for shallower harbours and anchorages. Polli believes that the 80 is better positioned in unfavourable weather conditions and hopes for the best control and precise handling even when heeling heavily. Grand Soleil also offers the Plus 80 Long Cruise with a single rudder and various keel options.
Four guest cabins, plenty of cloth
Once again, the Milan office of Nauta Design was called upon for the spatial planning as well as the exterior and interior styling. The layout has two cabins in front of and two behind the saloon. A compartment for two crew members and the galley are located in front of the transversely parked tender in the stern. "The design of an 80-foot yacht is a particularly demanding challenge," explains Nauta co-founder Massimo Gino. "We have meticulously optimised the freeboard heights, the interior spaces and the cabin sizes and integrated all the necessary equipment and accessories in every area - whether on deck, in the sail load, in the cabins or in the galley. An 80-foot yacht must have the qualities, functions and features typically found on yachts from 95 to 100 feet."
The GS Plus 80 is powered by 365 square metres of sail. A figure that certainly speaks in favour of a sporty orientation. Nevertheless, Grand Soleil also offers the flagship in the performance version, which primarily involved changes to the superstructure and deck layout of the existing models. How far the modification ultimately goes is up to the customer.
Solid foundation for Grand Soleil
Cantiere del Pardo has started laminating the first hull in Forlì and aims to achieve a displacement of 41 tonnes. "True to Grand Soleil's tradition, the GS Plus 80 Long Cruise will be manufactured entirely in-house," explains Franco Corazza, project manager for the Plus line. "Our extensive expertise ensures unrivalled quality by using an advanced sandwich composite construction with epoxy-based vinyl ester resin and vacuum infusion processes. In addition, unidirectional carbon reinforcements are placed in high-stress areas and along the stringers and structural floor groups."
The parent company of Grand Soleil, which also owns the motorboat brands Pardo Yachts and Van-Dutch, was acquired by Oniverso in 2023. The group built up by Sandro Veronesi includes brands such as Calzedonia and Intissimo. In September 2024, his son Marcello Veronesi took over as CEO from Fabio Planamente.
Technical data of the Grand Soleil Plus 80 LC
- Length over everything: 23,99 m
- Waterline length: 19,84 m
- Width: 6,60 m
- Depth: 3.95 m (fixed keel)
- Weight: 41 t
- Sail area on the wind: 365,0 m2
- Shipyard: Cantiere del Pardo/Grand Soleil
- Construction: Matteo Polli
- Design/Layout: Nauta Design
- Distribution: Diamond Yachts, Laboe
