Australia-based Riviera Yachts has launched its new 645 SUV, the largest and most sophisticated model in Riviera’s SUV collection, combining high-level bluewater pedigree with single-level living.
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 salon 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 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 practical indoor-outdoor lifestyle features that have made the SUV models popular among the cruising crowd.
Versatility
The 645 SUV comes with 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 alfresco-deck dining, a salon with a gourmet galley aft with island bench, a side salon door leading to wide walk-around side decks, and a foredeck as a separate entertainment zone.
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 versatility of the SUV design lends itself perfectly to a larger yacht,” says 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, were the first to own the new 645 model. 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.”
Ray and Jenny owned a Riviera 565 SUV prior to his current 575 SUV 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.
Entertainment
The 645 SUV teak-laid cockpit layout includes an optional three-seater transom lounge or live-bait well and optional awning extending from the hardtop aft. It is the perfect place to cook a meal 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 few steps up from the cockpit is the 645 SUV’s entertainment and living epicenter, 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 drop-leaf teak table.
The foredeck zone is a unique entertaining space, with plush lounge seating for up to 10 people, an insulated ice bin, stereo and stowage for fenders and lines. The Newport Edition includes a large sunpad.
The salon was designed to optimize flow and guest enjoyment at sea. A gourmet galley is on the port side with a generous island bench that provides ample 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 bench top.
In the salon, a 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.
The helm on the centerline offers an option of two or three forward-facing leather helm seats facing three 24-inch screens and comprehensive system controls.
The forward starboard corner of the salon can be a relaxing lounge, a workstation or a beautifully appointed cocktail wet bar.
Accommodations
On the accommodation deck, the full-beam master stateroom is bathed in light and fresh air from large hull windows with integrated portholes. Headroom is 6 feet, 4 inches. It features a central queen-size bed, chaise lounge, large cedar-lined wardrobe, and a generous aft ensuite bathroom. A space beside the ensuite can be personalized to suit the owner’s needs: laundry, utility room, crew cabin or additional accommodation. The space includes a water-tight door to the engine room.
The VIP guest stateroom forward includes a full queen-size bed and ensuite bathroom.
The second guest stateroom to port has two single berths that slide together to form a double berth and has ensuite 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.
Power
Riviera engineers opted for a choice of twin MAN V8 1300 (956 kW) or MAN V12 1550 (1,140 kW) diesels offering optimal power-to-weight performance. The 1300-hp 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 5-year engines limited warranty, in addition to Riviera’s 7-year structural and 2-year express limited warranties.
Video
LOA: 69ft. 8in.
LWL: 63ft. 8in.
Beam: 19ft. 1in.
Draft: 5ft. 4in.
Displacement: 88,119 lbs. (dry)
Fuel: 1,717 gal.
Water: 198 gal.
Standard engines: (MAN 1300 x 2) 956kW 1,300-hp ea
Engine option (MAN 1550 x 2) 1,140kW 1,550-hp ea
Info: rivieraaustralia.com
Photo Gallery
