Invictus TT550 Review: The Art of Mediterranean Day Cruising

In just ten years, designer Christian Grande has led the Invictus brand of the Italian shipyard Cantieri Aschenez to being known for innovative and boldly designed models that cannot go unnoticed wherever they appear.

New flagship for the brand

This year at the Cannes Boat Show, Invictus presented their largest model to date, the new TT550, a 16.87-meter long open-cockpit cruiser that debuted alongside her closed-cockpit sister, the ST550. Both models have the signature Invictus semi-upturned bow. 

The superstructure on the new model is sporty and minimalist, stretching above the high hull dotted with two rows of large windows. The upper window in the row hides the side passages, while superstructure extends over the bow helm station. 

Exterior design and layout

This impressive, sleek design is also very sporty, and openly inspired by racing cars, which is especially visible in the stern garage above the hydraulic platform, which resembles the rear end of a sports car.

The stern garage houses a tender up to three meters in length and opens from the rear, by lifting the entire upper part including the stern sunpad. Next to the sofa, the stern dining welcomes with two folding tables and another spacious semicircular sofa, and is protected by the the rear part of the hard top. 

Also protected by the hard top is an outdoor kitchen with a work surface stretching from one hard top support beam to the other. The kitchen itself is large enough to accommodate all the necessary elements and refrigerators, and well suited to be the only kitchen aboard.

The helm is served by three seats placed high and offers excellent visibility across the entire deck. The command board is striking, with three multi-function displays placed on a vertical panel with a frame of copper-gold color, and switches, throttle levers and Volvo IPS joystick placed on a separate panel, with a luxurious retro-designed steering wheel wrapped in copper-gold leather for that coveted vintage luxury look.

The bow is almost identical to the stern, with another semi-circular sofa surrounding two folding dining tables and a spacious triangular sun pad surrounded by wide side passages. If you still need more open spaces, the new TT550 also has folding terraces that open from sides astern.

Interior layout and accommodation

Inside, the central space connecting all the cabins also houses the indoor kitchen on the left, or a small salon or a single guest cabin. In the bow, the master cabin boasts an unusual layout in which the headboard of the spacious double bed is placed port-side and the dressing table opposite, while the bathroom is in the bow. 

The stern VIP cabin has a similar layout, with the headboard of the equally large double bed to the starboard. The VIP cabin bathroom doubles as day head, and is served by another door from the salon. 

Throughout the interior, a pleasant combination of white fabrics, wenge, black-and-white decorative elements on desks, and a lighter wooden floor give the model an interesting, modern feel. 

Invictus offer customization with a huge choice of materials and fabric, as well as some layout customization. The TT550 also has a small skipper's cabin with its own bathroom, accessed through a dedicated door from the main deck.

Performance and sea trial results

Powered by two 725-hp Volvo Penta IPS 950 engines, the new Invictus proved to be quite spirited during tests in Cannes, especially above the 13-knot planing speed. The top speed we achieved was 32.4 knots at 2500 rpm, with a consumption of 292 liters per hour, while the cruising speed was decent 25.5 knots at 2150 rpm, with a consumption of 220 liters per hour. On our test, the model showed decent stability even without stabilizers, and thanks to its upturned bow it cut through the waves with ease. 

Striking in appearance, with a comfortable interior and plenty of space on the main deck, the TT550, as well as its closed-cockpit twin ST550, demonstrates the signature Invictus design works great in the class of cruisers over 15 meters. With many custom options to choose from, this model will certainly find many an adventurous owner in search for a unique and modern yacht.