The Saxdor 270 GTO is one of the most hotly anticipated sportsboats of the year but can it live up to the standards of its siblings?
We’re always excited to test a new boat but on this occasion we’re positively fizzing, partly because the Saxdor 270 GTO is one of the most hotly anticipated sportsboats of the year but also because we’ve got two examples to play with.
The first is powered by the entry-level 225hp Mercury V6 outboard and costs from £89,857 inc VAT, the second by the 300hp Mercury V8 outboard for £6,750 more.
In almost every other respect they are identical, meaning we can see exactly what difference that extra 75hp makes to speed and fuel consumption and test the theory that a bigger engine can actually be more economical than a smaller one.
First up though, a quick recap on why there is so much excitement surrounding this boat. Like Axopar, Saxdor is a Finnish brand that builds its boats in Poland so it can offer a premium Scandinavian design at a mass market price.
However, with Axopar already firmly entrenched as the market leader in this segment, with newcomers like Ryck and Quarken snapping at its heels, Saxdor has had to try doubly hard not just to undercut the opposition on price but also to deliver even more bang for your buck.
Its first offering, the Saxdor 200 Sport, was a 20ft bundle of fun that performed far better than its diminutive proportions would suggest, while its follow up model, the Saxdor 320 GTO, wasn’t just bigger and better equipped than its direct rivals but came with folding side platforms as standard.
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This new Saxdor 270 GTO slots in neatly between these two siblings. At 27ft 9in long and 8ft 6in wide it is usefully bigger than an Axopar 25 but significantly shorter and narrower than an Axopar 28, meaning that it just scrapes in below the UK and European road legal towing width limit of 2.9m.
It also comes with a very impressive array of standard and optional features for a boat of this size including a two-berth cabin, heads, T-top, sunbed, wet bar, walkaround decks and a twin-step vacuum-infused hull with cutting-edge styling.
In short, it is trying to outsmart the competition on every level. The question is whether it can do this while still delivering a safe, fun, comfortable driving experience.
Read Hugo’s full review of the Saxdor 270 GTO in the October 2023 issue of MBY, out September 7.
Saxdor 270 GTO specifications
LOA: 27ft 9in (8.45m)
Beam: 8ft 6in (2.6m)
Draft: 3ft 0in (0.92m)
Displacement: 2600kg
Fuel capacity: 300 litres
Water capacity: 80 litres
Engine options: Single 225-350hp or twin 200hp Mercury outboard
Top speed on test: 41.4 knots (300hp) / 36.6 knots (225hp)
Fuel consumption @ 20 knots: 33lph (300hp) / 30lph (225hp)
Cruising range: @ 20 knots: 145lph (300hp) / 160lph (225hp)
RCD category: C for 7 people
Starting price: £89,857 (inc VAT with 225hp V6)
Price as tested: £144,092 (inc VAT with 300hp V8)
