Riviera launches outstanding 645 SUV flagship

Australia’s largest luxury motor yacht builder, Riviera, officially launched its innovative new 645 SUV yesterday to mark the opening of the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show.

The 645 SUV is the largest and most sophisticated model in Riviera's SUV collection, combining the high-level blue-water pedigree of the lauded Sports Motor Yachts with the single-level living attributes so much loved by Sport Yacht owners.

The 645 is available in two editions - the Classic and the Newport. The Classic features elegant interior furnishings, a versatile foredeck entertaining space and four-stateroom accommodation. The Newport includes a distinctive Tungsten silver hardtop, a spacious foredeck sunpad, avant-garde saloon features and three-cabin accommodation with a lower-deck lounge space. 

Riviera pioneered the SUV concept in 2012 and has since continually refined this design, crafting more than 170 yachts ranging from 39 to now 64 feet.

The commanding helm offers seating in absolute comfort for three on plush Selto London pilot seats for the captain and companions.  

The 645 becomes the flagship of the six-model SUV collection. She offers extensive accommodation, premium comfort and luxury and longer-range offshore cruising while enhancing the superb indoor-outdoor lifestyle features that make the SUV models so practical and popular.

A ‘wonderfully versatile’ flagship

The 645 SUV offers the choice of three or four staterooms, three bathrooms and a utility, crew or additional accommodation aft of the master stateroom. In addition, she offers superb alfresco-deck dining, a saloon that includes an aft gourmet galley with island bench, a side saloon door leading to generous walk-around side decks and a foredeck that is a separate, lavish entertainment hub.

An entertainment and living epicentre – the 645 SUV's semi-enclosed alfresco deck offers a plush lounge to port that converts to a double daybed. 

Riviera Australia owner Rodney Longhurst says the decision to introduce the 645 SUV came after requests from current Riviera owners and the global dealer network for a larger SUV, resulting in a number of off-the-plan orders being received.

“The wonderfull versatility of the SUV design lends itself perfectly to a larger yacht," says Mr Longhurst.  "The 645 takes our SUV to a new level with even more space, performance, cruising range, accommodation and luxury."

Long-term Riviera owners Ray and Jenny Haddrell from Melbourne, Australia, are proudly the first to own a 645 SUV. It will be the seventh consecutive Riviera the Haddrells have owned, and their largest.

Ray first heard of plans for the 64 Sports Motor Yacht two years ago. He told Riviera CEO Wes Moxey: “Give me a call if you ever do an SUV version of the 64 SMY.”

A sumptuous saloon setting, shown here in the Classic Edition, has been created to optimise the flow and enjoyment of guests. 

Ray and Jenny owned a Riviera 565 SUV prior to his current 575 SUV Rayzaway and between them they have enjoyed more than 1,100 hours of extensive cruising over seven years and thousands of nautical miles. Ray has cruised as far north as Port Douglas and completed two trips to Tasmania, including a circumnavigation.

An entertainment epicentre

The 645 SUV teak-laid cockpit layout includes an optional three-seater transom lounge or live-bait well and optional awning extending from the sleek hardtop aft. It is the perfect place to cook a sumptuous lunch on the dual-plate, electric barbecue. There is plenty of room to fish, dive or launch any number of water toys through the twin transom doors to the large hydraulic swim platform.

A full-beam master stateroom that is brilliantly bathed in light and fresh air from large hull windows. 

A few steps up from the cockpit is the 645 SUV’s entertainment and living epicentre – a semi-enclosed alfresco deck offering a plush lounge to port that converts to a double daybed. Alfresco living and dining are enjoyed in the L-shaped lounge to starboard, which includes a generous drop-leaf teak table.

The foredeck zone is a unique entertainer space, providing plush lounge seating for up to 10 people, an insulated ice bin, stereo and locations for fenders and ropes. The Newport Edition includes a large sunpad.

The VIP guest stateroom forward includes a full queen-sized bed and en-suite bathroom. 

Handcrafted luxury

The saloon has been created to optimise the flow and enjoyment of guests. A gourmet galley is along the port side with a generous island bench that provides more than enough space for two or more people to work side-by-side, prepping, serving or cooking. A three-burner induction cooktop includes removable pot holders and there are two-drawer fridges, two-drawer freezers, a combination oven/microwave and a dishwasher under the benchtop.

Saloon dining is through an innovative feature - the walnut dining table is located behind the lounge and can be deployed simply by moving away four cushions and easily lifting the table up and out.

A second guest stateroom to port offers two single berths that slide together to form a double berth.  

The helm on the centreline offers the option of two or three forward-facing luxurious leather helm seats facing three 24-inch screens and comprehensive system controls.

The forward starboard corner of the saloon can be a relaxing lounge, a workstation or a beautifully appointed cocktail wet bar.

Grand accommodation

On the accommodation deck, the full-beam master stateroom is brilliantly bathed in light and fresh air from large hull windows with integrated portholes. Headroom is a generous 1.95 metres. It features a central queen-sized bed, chaise lounge, large cedar-lined wardrobe and a generous aft en-suite bathroom. A space beside the en-suite can be personalised to suit an owner’s needs: laundry, utility room, crew cabin or even additional accommodation. This space includes a water-tight door to the engine room.

The versatile utility room can be personalised as either a laundry, crew cabin or even additional accommodation. 

The VIP guest stateroom forward includes a full queen-sized bed and en-suite bathroom.

The second guest stateroom to port has two single berths that slide together to form a double berth and has en-suite access to the day head. Directly opposite is a fourth stateroom with twin crossover berths. The Newport Edition configures this area as an atrium lounge.

The Newport Edition of the Riviera 645 SUV featuring the distinctive Tungsten silver hardtop. 

Power at your fingertips

Riviera engineers have opted for a choice of Twin MAN V8 1300 (956 kW) or MAN V12 1550 (1,140 kW) diesels that offer exceptional power-to-weight performance. The 1300 engines deliver a cruise speed of 28 knots and 31 knots at wide open throttle. The optional 1550s provide a cruise speed of about 30 knots and wide-open throttle around 34 knots.

The Twin Disc Express Joystick system (EJS) seamlessly marries hydraulic thrusters with Twin Disc gearboxes. Joysticks are at the helm and in the cockpit. 

All Riviera MAN-powered yachts come with a five-year engines limited warranty, further supported by Riviera’s seven-year structural and two-year express limited warranties.

www.rivieraaustralia.com