Chinese mogul Wang Jianlin, one of the world’s richest men, is spending $500 million to buy Sunseeker, the UK company that makes James Bond's luxury yachts. Shanghai Daily reported that Jianlin, who amassed a fortune of $8.6 billion by building karaoke centers, shopping malls, luxury hotels, department stores and movie theaters, has acquired a 91.8 percent stake in the company founded in Poole, UK in 1979. Sunseeker yachts have featured in the James Bond film series since 1999, beginning with The World Is Not Enough and continuing through Die Another Day, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.
Sunseeker’s sleek yachts range in price from about $600,000 to $30 million, and range in size from 80 feet to 155 feet. Many feature luxe amenities like integrated touch-screen-controlled lighting systems and state-of-the-art audio visual systems by Bang & Olufsen. The company is committed to building its yachts by hand with the utmost attention to detail. Their newest vessel, the Sunseeker 155, has a top speed of up to 26 knots along with accommodations for up to 12 guests and 10 crew members. Sunseeker offers bespoke interior design schemes that can range from that of a spacious ultra-contemporary New York loft to a traditional wood paneled gentlemen’s club.
