Not every Bond vehicle is driven by him. The Sunseeker XS2000 in Casino Royale is glimpsed for a moment as Daniel Craig’s Bond arrives in the Bahamas, and it is no less interesting for that. It is a 39ft race boat, built by a mainstream British yard with an Italian offshore specialist, and it is about as far from a gentle motor yacht as a Sunseeker gets.
In the film
The XS2000 is seen in Casino Royale (2006) in the same shot as the seaplane that lands to bring Bond to the Bahamas. It is a background appearance, and we have no evidence that Bond drives or boards it. The larger Sunseeker Predator 108 is a separate boat in the same film.
The details of the Sunseeker XS2000
A stepped hull. The design began life as the Buzzi 38 Sunracer. Fabio Buzzi drew the hull and Sunseeker took over the styling and the building. Two steps, each about 1¼in tall, run straight across the bottom. Because the drives cannot be trimmed, the steps are what keep the boat level on the plane.
Surface drives and two-speed gearboxes. Buzzi’s TriMax surface drives sit behind ZF two-speed transmissions. In high gear the boat is quick. In low gear it is docile enough to put into a slip, which a boat of this kind would otherwise struggle to do.
A choice of power. Buyers could specify twin 350hp or 420hp Yanmar diesels, or a pair of Mercruiser HP600 petrol engines giving 1,100hp in total. With the 420s, MBY saw an indicated 75mph in 2000. Boating magazine recorded 69.4mph.
Built light and hard. The hull is GRP with carbon and Kevlar, and Boating notes balsa coring as well. At the bow, small wings flare out to about 7in each side. They are there to lift the nose if it ever buries itself in a wave.
A cockpit for driving. The driver and navigator stand against bolsters; there are no seats at the helm. Behind them is a three-seat bench and a sunpad over the engines. A hatch on the foredeck slides forward to uncover a seating area, with a basic berth and head below. MBY called it an out-and-out performance boat rather than a weekender, and we agree.
Owning it now
This is a boat for a man who wants speed for its own sake and a few good afternoons a year, not for entertaining a crowd. Nothing about it is practical, and that is its appeal. It belongs on warm, open water with a short run from the mooring, not on a long family cruise.
Which one to look for. We would start with the twin 420hp Yanmar diesels. They are the configuration both magazines tested, so there is the most written about how they behave.
What to check. Boating found the engines sit close to the front of the compartment, with about 2in to the bulkhead, which makes belts and hoses awkward to replace. Later boats gained an emergency shutoff lanyard, a power ram for the engine hatch and a repositioned ignition. Ask which version you are looking at, and commission a marine survey whatever its age.
Where to find one. The XS2000 is out of production and found second-hand; the button on this page searches eBay for it. Boats of this size also change hands through brokers, so treat the search as a starting point.
Specifications
| Model | Sunseeker XS2000 |
|---|---|
| Length overall | 39ft 0in (11.89m) |
| Beam | 7ft 6in (2.29m) |
| Draft | 2ft 7in |
| Displacement | Approximately 8,818lb |
| Hull | GRP with carbon and Kevlar, stepped, 23° transom deadrise |
| Engines | Twin 350hp or 420hp Yanmar diesels; twin Mercruiser HP600 petrols (1,100hp total) |
| Drives | TriMax surface drives, ZF two-speed gearboxes |
| Fuel capacity | 124 gal |
| Price | About £200,000 (MBY review, February 2000); no current RRP |
Questions
Is the Sunseeker XS2000 the boat Bond drives in Casino Royale?
No. The XS2000 is seen in the shot with the seaplane that brings Bond to the Bahamas, and we have no evidence that he drives or boards it. It is a brief background appearance.
How fast is the Sunseeker XS2000?
With twin 420hp Yanmar diesels, MBY saw an indicated 75mph and Boating magazine recorded 69.4mph. The optional Mercruiser petrols give 1,100hp in total, though we found no tested speed for them.
Who designed the Sunseeker XS2000?
Fabio Buzzi designed the hull. The XS2000 grew out of his Buzzi 38 Sunracer, and Sunseeker took over the exterior styling and the building.
Can you still buy a Sunseeker XS2000?
Not new. It is out of production and found second-hand; the button on this page searches eBay for it. Check any boat’s history and survey it before you buy.
More from the film is in our Casino Royale guide, and you can browse other boats and cars in Vehicles or across all the films.
