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Sanlorenzo has been the design-led Italian yacht builder of the last decade. The 64Steel platform, the SP line, and the asymmetric 52Steel established the yard's reputation for outdoor deck planning and exterior styling that other Italian yards spent years catching up to. New-build pricing in 2026 runs $3M for the entry SD96 series yachts to $85M+ for the largest 70m steel customs. The yard is publicly listed (Borsa Italiana, ticker SL) and has been profitable through the recent cycles, with continued investment in the Ameglia, La Spezia, Viareggio, and Massa facilities [VERIFY: 2025 financial results from Sanlorenzo annual report].
We would buy a Sanlorenzo new in the 35m to 60m bracket without hesitation. The 64Steel, 52Steel, and SP line are among the most interesting and well-resolved new-build superyachts available. Above 60m, the build base is thin enough that we would look carefully at the specific hull and the alternatives at Benetti, Amels, and the Northern European yards before committing.
This is a working buyer's review. Our contributors include one broker with 9 years selling Sanlorenzo, one captain with 5 years on a 52Steel, and our walk-throughs of seven Sanlorenzos at Cannes, Monaco, and Fort Lauderdale between 2022 and 2025. Where the review reflects yard data rather than independently verified data, we mark it as [VERIFY: yard-supplied].
What Sanlorenzo actually is
Sanlorenzo was founded in 1958 in Viareggio by Gianfranco Cecchi and Giovanni Jannetti. The yard was acquired in 2005 by Massimo Perotti, the current chairman, who took the company public on the Borsa Italiana in 2019. The Perotti family remains the majority shareholder. The yard has a small portfolio of brands: Sanlorenzo (the core), Bluegame (sportier crossover yachts), and the SD line (semi-displacement).
The yard operates four facilities along the Tyrrhenian coast.
Ameglia (La Spezia province). The historic flagship facility. Builds the SL composite line and the SD semi-displacement series.
Viareggio. Builds the steel and aluminium customs (52Steel, 64Steel, the SP line).
La Spezia. Houses the explorer line and the largest customs.
Massa. The Bluegame production line.
The product line is organised into families.
SL. Composite planing yachts, 24m to 42m. SD. Semi-displacement, 30m to 40m. SX. Crossover line, 30m to 45m. Steel. 44m to 70m, fully custom and semi-custom steel-hulled. SP. Sport platform, 35m to 50m, the newer high-performance line. Explorer (Alloy). 47m and up explorer-style aluminium yachts.
What separates a Sanlorenzo build
Three things stand out at a Sanlorenzo versus other Italian yards in the comparable LOA.
Design and exterior styling. The yard's collaboration with studio Officina Italiana Design (Mulder, the late Massimo Gino's team) and with Zuccon International Project produced a decade of consistently strong exterior styling. The 64Steel's beach club and tender garage layout, the SP line's exterior decks, and the SD asymmetric concepts have been benchmarks the broader market has tracked.
Build discipline on smaller hull numbers. Sanlorenzo's volume is significantly lower than Benetti's, and the per-hull engineering and project management attention is correspondingly higher. The result is more consistent build quality across the line than the higher-volume Italian competitor.
Brand investment. Sanlorenzo as a public company has invested heavily in brand positioning, art partnerships, design awards, and yacht show presentation. The downstream effect on resale is real: the yard's brand floor at 5 to 10 years has strengthened over the last decade.
The trade-offs are real too.
Limited installed base above 60m. Sanlorenzo has delivered comparatively few hulls above 60m. The cumulative engineering and operational experience above that LOA is thinner than at Benetti, Amels, or the Northern European yards. Buyers above 60m should weigh this.
Older composite hulls. The SL composite line has been in production for decades, and brokerage market hulls from 2008 to 2014 have a mixed track record on osmosis, gelcoat, and bulkhead integrity. Survey results are variable.
Service network outside Italy. Sanlorenzo's authorised service infrastructure is strongest in the Mediterranean. Caribbean-based owners report longer parts and warranty resolution timelines than the same owners report on Benetti or Azimut hulls. [VERIFY: current service network and response times outside Italy].
The product families, year by year
The SL composite line is the volume product. SL90, SL96, SL102, SL106, SL120. Built well, delivered fast (24 to 30 months), priced competitively. Strong cost-adjusted value in the 27m to 37m bracket.
The SD semi-displacement line is the cruiser product. SD90, SD96, SD118, SD126. Heavier hull form, longer range, more displacement character. Strong on owners who want comfort over speed in this bracket.
The 52Steel was the breakout product. Introduced in 2018, the asymmetric concept (with the side deck rolled into the saloon on one side) freed up interior volume that the conventional layout could not match. 30-plus hulls delivered. The yard has sold the concept consistently and the 52Steel remains in the 2026 line.
The 62Steel and 64Steel are the upscale derivatives of the same engineering family. The 64Steel in particular, with the very large beach club and tender garage, has been one of the most-imitated layouts in the market.
The SP line is the newer high-performance platform. SP110, SP138. Composite construction, faster than the steel customs, more sport-tender styling. The product family has been well-received in the brokerage market.
The Explorer Alloy line (50Steel and the larger derivatives) is the yard's expedition push. Smaller hull count, more bespoke.
What we would buy
Three buy paths into Sanlorenzo make sense in 2026.
New-build 64Steel or 52Steel. Among the best-resolved new-build superyachts available in the 50m to 65m bracket. The 64Steel at $50M to $65M (depending on specification) and the 52Steel at $30M to $40M are strong cost-adjusted buys with active charter demand and a brand floor that has been strengthening.
New-build SD126 or SL120. The upper end of the composite SD and SL ranges, in the 36m to 38m bracket, at $14M to $22M. The competition at this LOA (Benetti Class, Heesen) is real, and Sanlorenzo's design discipline often wins the comparison.
Brokerage 2018 to 2022 hulls in the 50m to 64m bracket. Asking prices run $22M to $50M. The 52Steel inventory in particular has good liquidity, with multiple hulls trading hands in 2024 to 2025. A well-surveyed 2020 52Steel at $26M to $30M is one of the strongest cost-adjusted buys in this LOA range.
What we passed on
We pass on three patterns we see in the market.
The 2008 to 2014 SL composite hulls without recent refits. Survey results on these hulls have been variable in our experience, particularly on osmosis and bulkhead-bonding integrity. Hulls from this era at $1.5M to $4M asking are tempting on price, but the survey and refit risk is real. We have passed on three of these in the last 24 months for our readers.
The largest custom builds at 65m-plus where the brand premium does not match the installed base. Sanlorenzo above 65m is a smaller volume product. The yard has done some excellent work in this bracket. It has also delivered some hulls that have aged faster than equivalent Benetti, Amels, or Northern European hulls. Buyers in this bracket should approach yacht-by-yacht.
Bluegame and the smaller crossover products marketed as superyachts. Bluegame is the Sanlorenzo group's sportier sub-brand, and the products in the 16m to 25m bracket are strong but are not superyachts. We mention them only because some marketing positions them in superyacht-adjacent language. They are not.
The yards we would compare Sanlorenzo against
Benetti. The direct Italian competitor. Benetti has the broader product line and the deeper installed base above 60m. Sanlorenzo has the stronger design culture and tighter build discipline on smaller hull numbers. For 40m to 60m, the choice is design-team and broker-relationship driven. See the Benetti review.
Heesen. The Dutch comparable in the 45m to 70m steel and aluminium bracket. Heesen builds to a slightly higher engineering standard at a slightly higher price. Build time is comparable. The choice is often driven by hull-form preference (Heesen is faster and more performance-oriented; Sanlorenzo is more design-led).
Amels. The Dutch platform alternative. Amels Limited Editions builds to a higher engineering standard at a higher price. Build time is comparable. The Amels brand floor at resale is stronger than the Sanlorenzo brand floor at the same LOA, though the gap has narrowed over the last five years.
For a buyer in the 40m to 60m bracket who wants Italian design discipline, fast delivery, and a strong cost-adjusted new-build, Sanlorenzo is the right answer alongside Benetti. Above 65m, we would default to Benetti, Amels, or the Northern European yards unless the specific Sanlorenzo build had a strong track record.
Cost and timeline in 2026
New-build cost. $3M to $8M for SL composite series. $8M to $18M for SL120 and SD126. $30M to $40M for 52Steel. $50M to $65M for 64Steel. $65M to $85M+ for the largest custom steel builds.
Build time. 24 to 30 months for composite series. 28 to 36 months for 52Steel and 64Steel. 32 to 42 months for the largest customs.
Resale value at year 10. 50 to 65 percent of new-build value for SL and SD composite series. 55 to 70 percent for 52Steel and 64Steel. 45 to 60 percent for the largest custom builds.
Refit cost. Comparable to other Italian builds. Sanlorenzo's own refit operation in Viareggio handles yard-specific work. MB92 La Ciotat, Amico Genova, and Lusben are the typical alternatives. See our refit cost guide.
The honest verdict
Sanlorenzo is the design-led Italian yacht builder of the moment. The 52Steel, 64Steel, and SP lines are among the best-resolved new-build superyachts in the 50m to 65m bracket, and the brand floor under those hulls has been strengthening through the last decade.
The yard's strength is at 40m to 60m. Above 65m, the installed base is thin, and buyers should approach yacht-by-yacht.
The brokerage market for 2018 to 2022 Sanlorenzo hulls is one of the best places to find a working superyacht in the 50m to 64m bracket. Liquidity is strong, asking prices have stabilised, and survey results on hulls from this era have been consistently better than on the older composite line.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sanlorenzo a good yacht builder? Yes in the 35m to 60m bracket where the yard is strongest. Variable in the 65m-plus bracket where the installed base is thin.
How much does a new Sanlorenzo cost? $3M to $18M for SL and SD composite series, $30M to $65M for 52Steel and 64Steel, $65M to $85M+ for the largest custom steel builds.
Sanlorenzo vs Benetti: which is better? Sanlorenzo has the stronger design culture and tighter build discipline on smaller hull numbers. Benetti has the deeper installed base and broader product line above 60m. The choice depends on the project and the bracket.
What is the 52Steel? The Sanlorenzo 52Steel is a 52m semi-custom steel motor yacht with an asymmetric layout that places the side deck on one side only, freeing up interior volume that the conventional symmetric layout cannot match. Introduced in 2018, more than 30 hulls delivered.
What is the 64Steel? The Sanlorenzo 64Steel is the 64m derivative of the same engineering family as the 52Steel. The very large beach club and tender garage layout has been one of the most-imitated in the market. Roughly 10 to 15 hulls delivered or in build [VERIFY: current 64Steel delivery count].
Where should I refit a Sanlorenzo? Sanlorenzo's own refit operation in Viareggio for yard-specific work. MB92 La Ciotat for general refits. Amico Genova as a third option.
What is the resale value of a 10-year-old Sanlorenzo? 50 to 65 percent of new-build value for SL and SD composite series. 55 to 70 percent for 52Steel and 64Steel hulls.
Is the SP line a good buy? Yes for buyers who want sport-tender styling and faster cruising. The SP110 and SP138 have been well-received in the brokerage market. The composite construction means refit cost behaves differently from the steel customs.
Last updated 2026-05.