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ICONA 70, when design changes the way we experience the sea

Designed by Igor Lobanov, ICONA 70 launches the new ICONA inspired by Mangusta brand with transformable spaces, pure lines and speeds of around 36 knots

ICONA 70 wins Best Exterior Design at the 2026 World Yachts Trophies with a project that transforms the stern into a 40-square-metre platform over the water

Just days after its world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival, ICONA 70 received the Best Exterior Design award at the 25th World Yachts Trophies. In this case, the recognition provides a natural way into the heart of the project: the exterior was not simply shaped to give the yacht a distinctive profile, but to change the way its 70 feet are experienced.

ICONA 70 is the first model from ICONA inspired by Mangusta, a new brand created by EFFEBI NEW PROJECT, founded by the Balducci family and Stefano Arlunno. Construction follows Overmarine Group standards, while design was entrusted to Igor Lobanov, already responsible for the styling language of the Mangusta REV range.

The project begins at the stern

To understand ICONA 70, it makes sense to start aft.

Two large side wings open to increase the overall beam to more than 9 metres, creating a waterside platform of approximately 40 square metres. The result fundamentally changes the relationship between a 70-foot yacht and the sea.

This is more than an enlarged beach club. The stern becomes the centre of life on board and can change throughout the day, moving from a more protected environment to a wide terrace open to the water.

An integrated staircase extends this route towards the sea even further, reducing the visual and physical separation between yacht and surroundings.

Hiding technology to preserve the form

The work of Igor Lobanov aims to keep the hull surfaces continuous and the overall profile visually clean.

Elements that are normally visible, including the forward mooring area, anchor housing and side tender bay, have been integrated into the architecture so they remain largely concealed. The garage can accommodate a jet tender of up to 3.45 metres.

Even the engine-room air intake becomes a design feature. Produced using 3D printing with a honeycomb structure, it introduces a technical signature that draws directly on the automotive world.

The dark glazed superstructure sits beneath a strongly tapered hardtop, while the forward windshield does without conventional pillars, creating a surface closer in appearance to an aircraft canopy than a traditional yacht wheelhouse.

A 70-footer that searches for space vertically

The search for volume is not limited to beam.

In the central section of the yacht, internal height reaches up to 2.85 metres, while the three cabins offer a declared headroom of 2.10 metres. Maximum beam in the closed configuration is 6.2 metres.

Natural light becomes part of the architecture. A central route connects the aft platform, cockpit and glazed superstructure, while large skylights illuminate the lower-deck living area.

The full-beam owner’s cabin uses large hull windows to increase the perception of space even further.

The aim therefore appears to be less about fitting in more rooms and more about making the available spaces feel open and less fragmented.

The helm looks towards the hypercar world

The automotive influence becomes even stronger at the helm.

Four 19-inch touchscreen displays, four dedicated driving seats and a dashboard without the conventional succession of physical buttons create a deliberately minimalist environment.

Joystick control, Dynamic Positioning, forward-looking sonar and Garmin-assisted docking systems transfer many operating functions to electronics.

It is consistent with the philosophy of the rest of the yacht: making something visually simple even when its underlying technology is anything but simple.

Three engines and around 36 knots

Beneath the clean surfaces remains a decidedly performance-oriented platform.

ICONA 70 uses three Volvo Penta engines, with two propulsion configurations available. The more powerful version features three D13 IPS1350 units delivering 1,000 hp each.

In this configuration, the project targets a top speed of approximately 36 knots, a cruising speed of around 30 knots and an indicative range of about 270 nautical miles, subject to final specification and operating conditions.

The hull was developed by the Overmarine Group technical department together with Studio Arnaboldi, while construction is in fibreglass.

Personalisation without losing identity

Personalisation also borrows some of its logic from the automotive industry.

Exterior and interior colour combinations allow each yacht to take on a more individual personality without altering its underlying design language.

For owners looking to go further, the Commission programme introduces direct collaboration between the owner and design team. The process therefore moves beyond selecting finishes and materials from a catalogue towards developing specific elements while preserving the identity of the model.

It is an approach that attempts to shift exclusivity away from the number of features and towards the possibility of creating a yacht more closely connected to its owner.

An award that explains the project

The Best Exterior Design award presented to ICONA 70 at the World Yachts Trophies therefore carries more meaning than the trophy itself.

The exterior architecture is where much of the onboard experience begins: the opening stern, uninterrupted surfaces, concealed technical elements, glazing and connection between interior and exterior spaces.

It is also significant that the recognition came with the debut of the first model from the new brand.

ICONA 70 does not necessarily try to look like a larger yacht. Instead, it attempts to use its 70 feet differently, making space and transformation part of the design itself.

Perhaps this is where the award is best understood: the exterior is not simply something to look at, but something that determines how the yacht is lived.

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ICONA inspired by Mangusta

21 September 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
ICONA 70, when design changes the way we experience the sea
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The information in this article has been sourced from and adapted from official sources and/or press releases, in accordance with our editorial code of ethics.