Azimut Yachts Motor Yachts

55 Azimut Yacht Guide, Azimut 55 Fly Review and Prices

Righini's sharp hull wrapped around Achille Salvagni's curved interior, a 30-knot shaft-drive flybridge that replaced the 54.

2018 to 2022 Discontinued Updated

Azimut flybridge motor yacht moored in Cannes
For reference, Azimut flybridge motor yacht moored in Cannes, not the Azimut 55 Fly. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Length
55.4 ft16.89 m
Beam
16.1 ft4.9 m
Cruise
23.5 kn
Cabins
3 (full-beam master amidships, VIP forward, twin to starboard) plus crew cabin aft
Used price
$900K to $1.6M
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Which 55 Azimut yacht do you mean?
  3. Sharp outside, soft inside
  4. Galley aft, lounge forward
  5. A cantilevered bed at 45 degrees
  6. A flybridge to the transom and a 'cocoon' on the bow
  7. 800 hp MANs, 30.5 knots and a debate about steering
  8. The 2000s Azimut 55 and 55E
  9. Prices and running costs in 2026
  10. Specifications
  11. Price and value
  12. Strengths and weaknesses
  13. Used buyer checklist
  14. Rivals
  15. Our verdict
  16. FAQ

The Azimut 55 Fly is a 55 ft 5 in flybridge built from 2018 to about 2022 with twin 800 hp MAN i6 diesels, three cabins plus crew and an interior by Achille Salvagni. Yachting recorded 30.5 knots; used boats ask about $900,000 to $1.6 million.

Best for
  • Owners who value interior design
  • Families with two or three guests
  • Entertaining in the cockpit and on the flybridge
  • Florida, Bahamas and West Coast cruising

Which 55 Azimut yacht do you mean?

Three different flybridges have worn the Azimut 55 badge. The first, launched around 2000, introduced the shark-fin side glazing that defined Azimut for a decade. It was followed by the 55 Evolution, often listed as the 55E, which we cover in a separate guide. This page is mainly about the third: the Azimut 55 of 2018, usually called the 55 Fly, which replaced the Azimut 54 and ran until about 2022 according to YachtBuyer.

If you are shopping for a 55 Azimut yacht, the model year tells you which one you are looking at. Boats from 2002 to 2007 are the earlier designs with Caterpillar power, boats from 2018 on are the 55 Fly with MAN i6 diesels, and the triple-IPS Azimut 55S is a separate hardtop sport yacht. Listings from 2023 onward described as 55-foot Azimuts are usually the Fly 53, which is 55 ft 1 in overall.

Azimut 55 Fly by the numbers

LOA 55' 5" / 16.89 mBeam 16' 1" / 4.90 mBow
Plan view drawn to scale from the published length and beam.
Speed to length ratio at cruise
3.38A planing cruise. Fast passages in exchange for much higher fuel burn per mile.
Estimated range at cruise
252 nmUsing 90 percent of tank capacity at the cruise speed and fuel burn listed on this page.
Fuel economy at cruise
0.41 nmpgNautical miles per gallon at cruise, both engines combined.
Horsepower per ton
55 hpStrong power to weight for a planing hull.
Length to beam ratio
3.45 : 1Moderate proportions.

Length compared with the 128 motor yachts we cover

32 ft89 ft

Sharp outside, soft inside

Azimut built the 55 on the 54's underpinnings, and MBY noted that the profile, window layout and dimensions are almost identical. What changed is the character. Stefano Righini gave the exterior a fine entry, a sabre-like bow, straight bow rails and a raked windshield, with glazed insets that Yachting compared to the white patch over an orca's eye. The look borrows from Azimut's sportier S range.

Inside, Achille Salvagni went the opposite way. Salvagni had designed interiors for Azimut's bigger yachts, and the 55 was his smallest Azimut. MBY wrote that even the curves have curves: cabinetry, grab handles and sofa bases all end in soft radii, which looks good and means nothing sharp to hit at sea. PMY's Dan Harding singled out the same thing as a safety feature. The interior won Best Interior Design at the 2018 World Yachts Trophies, according to YachtBuyer.

Blue-hulled Azimut motor yacht in a Stockholm guest harbor
Blue-hulled Azimut motor yacht in a Stockholm guest harbor. Photo: Simiha, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Galley aft, lounge forward

The biggest layout change from the 54 is the galley, which moved from amidships to the aft end of the saloon next to the cockpit doors. It is L-shaped, with a four-burner Miele cooktop, a Miele microwave and convection oven, an upright Dometic fridge-freezer and two sinks, and a window that drops so it can serve the cockpit. Slightly raised forward of it, the lounge has C-shaped seating around a fixed table to port and a two-person sofa behind the starboard helm, which has two seats.

Materials include gray zebrawood, dark oak, high-gloss black lacquer and bronze and stainless details, with bronze-leaf strips that make cabinets appear to float. Yachting praised the nearly 360 degrees of glass and low furniture for the views. MBY was more critical: the Princess 55 and Sunseeker Manhattan 52 use glass more intelligently, the sofas have no storage underneath, and the dashboard lacks places to put things.

A cantilevered bed at 45 degrees

The full-beam master amidships is the showpiece. Its bed is set at 45 degrees and cantilevered so it seems to float, freeing floor space for a four-drawer zebrawood dresser under the port window that can be swapped for a settee or vanity. Rectangular hull windows are, in PMY's words, like living-room windows. There is a walk-in wardrobe aft and an en suite head with a stall shower and a rosewood marble counter. MBY warned that the many steps and level changes could catch you out at night.

The VIP in the bow has a double bed, a hull window and an overhead hatch, and its head doubles as the day head, shared with a twin cabin to starboard. MBY found the VIP pinched for two adults dressing at once despite a reworked foredeck molding. A crew cabin with a single berth sits aft of the engine room; PMY expected most U.S. owners to use it for storage.

A flybridge to the transom and a 'cocoon' on the bow

Azimut extended the flybridge all the way to the transom, supported by two uprights in the cockpit, which nearly doubles the space up top. There is a helm to port, a sunpad forward of it, a U-shaped table for six to eight under a retractable hardtop, and optional fixed furniture aft in several arrangements. MBY liked the pair of facing L-shaped sofas best.

On the foredeck, Azimut's 'cocoon' sunpad has oversized rounded cushions and a three-part adjustable backrest that turns it into a chaise, with a deep bimini that extends forward. MBY's complaint was that it is only a sunpad, with no table or walkway, while rivals offered more. Aft, the hydraulic teak swim platform measures about 49 square feet and carries a Williams 285 Turbojet tender.

800 hp MANs, 30.5 knots and a debate about steering

The only engines were twin 800 hp MAN i6 diesels on V-drives. In Yachting's test off Savona, in a short, steep chop with 25 percent fuel, the 55 averaged 30.5 knots at 2,350 rpm, burning 81 gallons an hour. At a 2,000 rpm cruise it made about 23.5 knots on 56.8 gallons an hour, giving an effective range of around 251 nautical miles with a 10 percent reserve. MBY found 1,800 rpm, just under 20 knots on about 180 liters an hour at only 70 dB(A), a blissful cruising speed.

The hull has 21 degrees of deadrise amidships and 12 at the transom, and Zipwake interceptors and SeaStar electric steering are standard. Yachting praised the stable ride and confidence-inspiring handling, and PMY noted very little heel in turns and a comfort-focused feel. MBY drove an early hull and called the electric steering lifeless, though engineers were still adjusting it. Test the steering on any 55 you consider.

The 2000s Azimut 55 and 55E

Azimut's heritage page dates the first 55 to 2000, the boat on which Righini replaced the old oval side windows with shark-fin glazing, paired with cherry interiors and a striking wheelhouse. Yachting tested one with twin Caterpillar 3196 diesels and recorded a 28-knot cruise at 2,100 rpm, with a draft of just 3 ft 1 in. Its full-beam master lay under the amidships pilothouse with a diagonal berth, and the VIP was in the bow. MBY's used-boat report said the design still looked ahead of its time 15 years after launch.

These earlier boats and the 55 Evolution are far cheaper. U.S. asks include $374,000 for a 2002 boat, $349,000 for a 2004 with rebuilt Caterpillar C12s, $399,000 for a 2005 and $289,900 to $527,000 for 2006 and 2007 boats, several of them 55Es. If you see a 2006 Azimut 55, check whether it is a 55 or a 55E before comparing prices.

Prices and running costs in 2026

PMY quoted about $1,253,000 for the 55 Fly in 2018. On the U.S. market in 2026, a 2019 boat asked $929,000 and another, with 390 engine hours, $1,290,000. 2020 boats asked $1,359,000, 2021 boats $1.35 to $1.45 million and 2022 boats $1,399,000, with one California 2022 boat at $1,875,000. European 2018 boats ask €900,000 to €1.25 million.

Annual costs in the U.S. typically run $75,000 to $140,000, covering a 55 to 60 foot slip, insurance, MAN and generator service, bottom work, Seakeeper service where fitted, and captain time. MAN dealer coverage is thinner than Volvo or Caterpillar in some areas, so check your local support.

Azimut 55 Fly specifications

Length overall55.4 ft16.89 m
Beam16.1 ft4.9 m
Draft4.9 ft1.5 m
Air draft17.3 ft5.26 m
Displacement58, lbs26,308 kg
Fuel capacity676 gal2,56 L
Fresh water156 gal59 L
Cabins3 (full-beam master amidships, VIP forward, twin to starboard) plus crew cabin aft
Berths6 plus 1 crew
Heads2 plus crew head
Standard engines2 x MAN i6-800 diesels (800 hp each) on V-drives
Maximum power1,600 hp
Cruise speed23.5 knots
Top speed30.5 knots
Range251 nm
Hull typePlaning hull, 21 degrees deadrise amidships and 12 degrees at the transom, with Zipwake interceptors
Hull constructionGRP hull and superstructure
BuilderAzimut Yachts, Italy
Naval architectAzimut
Other design creditsExterior by Stefano Righini, interior by Achille Salvagni
Production2018 to 2022
StatusDiscontinued

Figures come from builder documentation and independent tests where available. Displacement is usually quoted light, so a loaded cruising boat will weigh more. Compare these specs with another model.

Performance data

RPMSpeed (kn)Fuel (gph)Range (nm)
200023.556.8251
235030.581228

Yachting magazine test off Savona, Italy, twin 800 hp MAN i6 diesels, 25 percent fuel and 75 percent water, short steep chop. Fuel is total for both engines; range with a 10 percent reserve as calculated by the magazine.

How much does a Azimut 55 Fly cost?

New, typical sail-awayNo longer built
Used, typical asking$900K to $1.6M
Yearly running costs$75K to $140K

PMY put the price at about $1,253,000 in 2018. U.S. asks in 2026 run from $929,000 for a 2019 boat to $1,399,000 for a 2022, with 2020 and 2021 boats at $1.35 to $1.45 million, while one 2022 boat in California asked $1.875 million. European 2018 and 2019 boats ask about €900,000 to €1.25 million. Seakeeper, hardtop, low hours on the MANs and remaining warranty drive the top of the range.

Estimated used asking prices by model year, US market, 2026
$750K$1M$1.25M$1.5M20182018, $900,000 to $1,250,00020192019, $929,000 to $1,300,00020202020, $1,000,000 to $1,360,00020212021, $1,100,000 to $1,450,00020222022, $1,200,000 to $1,600,000

Estimate your yearly cost

A planning estimate using common rules of thumb: insurance near 1.5 percent of value, maintenance near 3 percent, haul out and bottom paint by length. Your marina, region and use will move these numbers. Open the full cost calculator.

Versions and options

Azimut 55 Fly (2018 to 2022)
Righini exterior, Salvagni interior, galley aft, twin MAN i6-800 diesels on V-drives.
Azimut 55 (2000s)
Earlier flybridge with shark-fin glazing, cherry interior and Caterpillar 3196 power.
Azimut 55 Evolution (55E)
The mid-2000s update of the earlier 55, usually with Caterpillar C12 engines.

Azimut 55 Fly timeline

  1. 2000First Azimut 55 introduces shark-fin side glazing
  2. 2012Azimut 54 introduced; its hull later underpins the 55 Fly
  3. 2018New Azimut 55 Fly replaces the 54; PMY and Yachting test it off Savona
  4. 2018Interior wins Best Interior Design at the World Yachts Trophies
  5. 2022Final model year listed by YachtBuyer

Strengths and weaknesses

What owners like

  • Striking Salvagni interior with no sharp edges
  • Galley aft serves cockpit and saloon
  • Flybridge extends to the transom
  • Full-beam master with walk-in wardrobe
  • Standard Zipwake interceptors and electric steering

What to weigh up

  • Early hulls had lifeless steering
  • VIP cabin is tight for two adults
  • No under-seat storage in the saloon
  • Foredeck has a sunpad but no table or walkway
  • MAN dealer support can be thinner than Volvo or Caterpillar

Used Azimut 55 Fly buyer checklist

Take this list to a viewing. Your ticks are saved in this browser so you can come back to it.

Always commission an independent marine survey and an engine survey before you buy. How a marine survey works.

Rivals to consider

Princess F55

British rival that MBY found sharper to drive, with brighter use of glass.

Compare side by side

Sunseeker Manhattan 55

British flybridge with sporty styling and a strong resale following.

Compare side by side

Prestige 520

More affordable French flybridge that MBY rated below the Azimut on finish.

Compare side by side

Absolute 52 Fly

Italian rival with pods that MBY praised for its handling.

Compare side by side

Our verdict on the Azimut 55 Fly

The Azimut 55 Fly is a flybridge you buy with your eyes and live in with pleasure. Salvagni's curved interior is the most distinctive in its class, the galley aft and long flybridge suit the way people entertain, and the MAN-powered hull is solid and stable at 23 to 30 knots. Early steering, a tight VIP and some storage shortfalls keep it from being perfect. Find a 2020 or 2021 boat with a gyro, good MAN service history and steering that feels right, and you will own one of the best-looking 55-foot yachts on the water.

Azimut 55 Fly questions answered

How fast is the Azimut 55 Fly?

Yachting averaged 30.5 knots at 2,350 rpm with twin 800 hp MAN i6 diesels and cruised at about 23.5 knots on 56.8 gallons an hour.

How much is a 55 Azimut yacht?

The 2018 to 2022 Azimut 55 Fly asks about $900,000 to $1.6 million in the U.S. Older 2002 to 2007 Azimut 55s and 55Es ask about $290,000 to $530,000.

Who designed the Azimut 55?

Stefano Righini designed the exterior and Achille Salvagni the interior of the 2018 boat.

How many cabins does the Azimut 55 have?

Three: a full-beam master amidships, a VIP forward and a twin cabin, plus a crew cabin aft.

What replaced the Azimut 54?

The Azimut 55 Fly in 2018, which uses similar underpinnings but has a new interior and the galley moved aft.

What is the fuel capacity of the Azimut 55 Fly?

About 2,560 liters, or roughly 676 gallons, with 156 gallons of water. Yachting quoted 673 gallons.

Is the 2006 Azimut 55 the same boat?

No. A 2006 boat is an earlier Azimut 55 or 55 Evolution with Caterpillar engines, a different design from the 2018 55 Fly.

More motor yachts to explore

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