The fastest super yacht on the planet is a luxurious 42-metre Millennium 140 called 'The World is Not Enough'. With a top speed of around 70 knots, she was co-designed by Mulder Design's John Rosatti and her owner, John Staluppi. She was built in 2004 by Millennium Superyachts in the Netherlands - a shipyard that Staluppi part-owned.

Credit: Matthias Scholz / Alamy Stock Photo

She remains the world's fastest super yacht today - remarkably, she retains the title despite her size, as most of the faster yachts are much smaller. In fact, many super yachts of her size have a top speed of around 25 knots, so The World is Not Enough is truly incredible.

It's not a case of her being stripped down to make her faster. The interior is as luxurious as the exterior suggests, with opulent furnishings and a state of the art audio-visual entertainment system.

Her billionaire owner started out working as a mechanic in Brooklyn and went on to build his own car dealership empire, before setting up in business to design some of the most luxurious super yachts in the world at his own shipyard.

The Florida-based businessman started his own car business as a young man, thanks to a $5,000 loan from his father, who re-mortgaged the family home. It was a gamble that more than paid off, as Staluppi went on to set up a successful Honda car franchise.

He is also president of the Atlantic Auto Group and sells nine marques of luxury cars in Long Island, with a turnover of $2 billion.

Always the boat enthusiast, his first vessel was a 13-metre Ocean sport fishing boat. He worked his way up through a number of different craft, until he hit upon an idea for building the world's fastest yacht.

Staluppi took on the challenge after learning that two of the world's richest men, the Aga Khan and the King of Spain, were looking to own faster yachts. Originally, he aimed to do 50 knots in a boat that was 39 metres long. The result was a yacht called Octopussy – and she turned heads wherever she docked.

Staluppi still wanted more: his goal was to design and build a yacht that was luxurious, as well as fast, so that passengers could continue to enjoy a high level of comfort, even at top speeds. The resulting super yacht, The World is Not Enough, is a masterpiece of unique design and engineering.

The lightweight aluminium structure provides an enhanced aerodynamic shape, combined with extra stability, even at high speeds. She also has a dead-rise V-hull shape that enables her to cut through the water smoothly, even in the roughest conditions.

Two Paxman 18-cylinder diesel engines provide a combined 10,870hp of power. An additional 9,200hp of power is provided by twin TF80 Lycombing turbine engines. The power runs at 15,000 gallons fuel capacity and the yacht can sail around 3,800 nautical miles on a full tank of fuel.

Surprisingly quiet, the super yacht travels with no vibrations and provides a comfortable yet exhilarating ride, even when cruising along at speeds higher than 50 knots.

While The World is Not Enough is the world's fastest super yacht, two of her counterparts, the Fortuna and the Wally Power 118, are also noteworthy as the second and third fastest yachts on the planet.

The second-placed Fortuna measures 41.5 metres long and has a top speed of 65 knots. She was built in 2000 to a bespoke design by Izar. The luxurious interior was designed by Celeste Dell`Anna, while the aesthetic exterior styling was created by Design Studio Spadolini. Her lightweight aluminium hull and GRP superstructure enable her to travel flat out at 65 knots.

The interior accommodation comprises four spacious suites that will accommodate a total of eight guests. There is also living accommodation for six crew members.

In 2002, the third fastest yacht in the world, Wally Power 118, was constructed by the Rodriquez Intermarine shipyard in Italy. The 36-metre yacht has a top speed of 65 knots, although her comfortable cruising speed is 60 knots. She has a composite superstructure and hull and is powered by two Cummins 370 horsepower engines and three DDC TF50 gas turbine engines.

The exterior and interior designs were created by Wally and Lazzarini Pickering. The interior is said to resemble a New York-style loft apartment. A glass-sided deckhouse is home to a generous saloon decorated in white and wood to create a beach house ambience. Accommodating six guests in spacious cabins, Wallypower 118 is used as a luxury charter yacht for vacations.

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