Sanlorenzo SL96 Asymmetric
| LOA | 29 m |
|---|---|
| Beam | 6.76 m |
| Accommodation | 8 guests, 4 crew |
| Engines | twin MTU 16V2000 M86, about 2,216 hp |
| Top speed | about 28 knots |
| Fuel | about 10,350 litres, fresh water about 1,500 litres |
| Design | exterior by Bernardo Zuccon (Zuccon International Project) |
| Line | presented in 2020 within the SL Asymmetric range |
The asymmetric goes mainstream
The SL96 Asymmetric followed the pioneering SL102, bringing the reordered main deck to a size that a much larger group of owners could reach. Presented in 2020, it helped turn a bold one-off idea into a settled part of the Sanlorenzo catalogue. At 29 metres it sits above the SL86 and below the thirty-three metre SL110, holding the middle of the planing range. Its arrival confirmed that the asymmetric layout was here to stay.
The boat belongs to the composite Yacht Division and is built to individual order, so specifications differ across the fleet. Its role in the line is the well-rounded choice, big enough for serious cruising yet still nimble. For many buyers it is the SL that makes the clearest sense.
Light on the water
The exterior, drawn by Bernardo Zuccon of Zuccon International Project, keeps the low, athletic SL profile with a long glazed flank. Removing the port side deck lets the saloon reach the fuller beam and brings the glass down close to the sea. The reported gain in usable interior area is around ten square metres, which is considerable on a hull of this size. The single starboard walkway keeps a safe, sheltered path forward.
Owners can choose an open flybridge or a hardtop version, adapting the boat to sun-heavy or cooler waters. The foredeck and cockpit are shaped for life at anchor, with space to relax and to handle the tender. The whole design reads as calm and precise. Daylight is the SL96's signature, flooding the main deck through the low port glazing.
The SL96 turned the asymmetric main deck from a bold one-off into a settled series success.
A wider saloon
Inside, the SL96 accommodates eight guests and a crew of four. The extra width freed by the layout is spent on the main saloon and a full-beam owner's suite, both of which feel notably broad for the length. Interiors carry the quiet, residential style associated with Piero Lissoni's direction, built around natural materials and open sight lines. Owners specify the finish closely within that framework.
The plan keeps a strong link between the saloon and the cockpit, so the day flows easily between inside and out. Guest cabins sit on the lower deck, leaving the main deck for shared living and the view. The result feels more like a bright apartment than a corridor of rooms. Space and light do the work here.
Pace with control
The SL96 is driven by twin MTU 16V2000 M86 engines of around 2,216 hp, feeding the planing hull that gives the SL line its speed. The reported top speed is about 28 knots, so an owner can cross open water quickly when the weather allows. At a gentler cruise the boat runs efficiently for longer coastal passages. It handles like the sports flybridge it is.
As with every asymmetric model, the underwater hull stays symmetrical, so the deck plan costs nothing in sea-keeping. Fuel is carried at around 10,350 litres, supporting real distances between fills. Sanlorenzo keeps the engineering proven and easy to service. The SL96 is built to be used hard and often.
Who the SL96 suits
The SL96 Asymmetric suits the owner who wants the fullest expression of the asymmetric idea at a size that stays manageable. It is well suited to family cruising with a small professional crew, where the main deck is the centre of the day. Its 2020 arrival and steady sales have made it one of the most recognisable boats in the range. For a buyer stepping up from the mid-twenties in metres, it is a confident move.
Against rival flybridge yachts near thirty metres, its case is the reordered main deck and the daylight that comes with it. For a Sanlorenzo owner it is the balanced heart of the SL line. It rewards those who value how a day feels at anchor as much as the numbers on a page.
Engines and systems
| Engines (standard) | twin MTU diesels rated around 1,947 to 2,200 hp, depending on model year |
|---|---|
| Engines (upgrade) | twin MTU V-drives up to about 2,400 to 2,434 hp, fitted to several owner-spec hulls |
| Fuel burn at cruise | about 24 litres/minute at 15 knots, 28 l/min at 20 knots, rising to 34 l/min at the 28-knot top end - no hump in the curve, reported directly from an owner's logged trial |
| Fuel / water tankage | 10,350 litres fuel, 1,500 litres fresh water |
| Stabilisation | full underway stabilisation plus at-rest zero-speed stabilisers, standard across the range |
| Thrusters | proportional hydraulic bow and stern thrusters, controllable from a plug-in remote for single-handed docking |
| Displacement | about 110 tonnes fully loaded |
What owners and crew report
Crew comfort was specified as a priority, not an afterthought
Owner John Wolf, a self-described perfectionist, fitted three separate crew cabins each with its own bathroom on his SL96A Match, reasoning that a happy crew makes for a happy boat.
John Wolf, owner, via Motor Boat & YachtingFuel burn climbs smoothly with no efficiency cliff
Logged across a 120-mile Solent-to-Jersey passage: about 24 l/min at 15 knots, 28 l/min at 20 knots and 34 l/min at the 28-knot top speed - a straight-line rise rather than the sudden jump some planing hulls show past cruising speed.
Motor Boat & Yachting sea trial, aboard MatchDocking confidence comes from the remote, not raw skill
The owner brings the boat alongside solo using a plug-in remote that runs both throttles and thrusters together, rather than relying on crew hand signals.
John Wolf, owner, via Motor Boat & Yachting
What is good, and what to watch
Strong points
- Daylight and space the asymmetric layout was built to deliverThe dropped port bulwark and full-beam saloon genuinely read as more space than the 29-metre LOA suggests, and owners who have lived aboard confirm it in practice, not just on the drawing.
- Fuel burn is predictable and well-documentedA real logged trial shows a smooth 24-to-34-litre-a-minute climb from 15 to 28 knots, with no hidden hump - useful for anyone budgeting a season's running cost.
- Docking is genuinely manageable short-handedThe plug-in remote for thrusters and throttles together is a feature owners actually use, not a brochure line.
What to watch
- The owner's cabin does not fully exploit the viewReviewers noted the berth faces a bulkhead television rather than the bow windows, an odd choice on a boat sold partly on daylight and outlook.
- Pilothouse sightlines are compromised by the screen designShallow, raked windscreens and thick mullions were flagged as reducing forward visibility from the helm compared with rivals.
- No beach club or true water-level connection to the seaAgainst competitors that build a fold-out beach club into this size bracket, the SL96A's link to the water stops at its garage and platform.
Practical detail
| New price (ex VAT) | from about EUR 10.1 million for a comparable specification, per a 2020-built owner example |
|---|---|
| Used / resale asking | brokerage listings have run from about EUR 6 million, depending on age, engine option and equipment |
| Engine option premium | the upgraded MTU V-drive package (about 2,400 hp/side) adds meaningfully over the standard engines - neither yard nor brokers publish the exact delta |
| What is not published | Sanlorenzo does not publish annual running or berthing costs; owners and brokers quote them privately per hull and flag state |
| Crew | built for a crew of four, with owner examples fitting three separate crew cabins with private bathrooms |
Questions owners ask
How big is the Sanlorenzo Sanlorenzo SL96 Asymmetric?
LOA: 29 m. Beam: 6.76 m.
Who is the Sanlorenzo Sanlorenzo SL96 Asymmetric for?
An owner who wants the balanced heart of the asymmetric SL range, with pace, space and daylight.
What is the Sanlorenzo Sanlorenzo SL96 Asymmetric good at?
Daylight and space the asymmetric layout was built to deliver. The dropped port bulwark and full-beam saloon genuinely read as more space than the 29-metre LOA suggests, and owners who have lived aboard confirm it in practice, not just on the drawing.
What are the drawbacks of the Sanlorenzo Sanlorenzo SL96 Asymmetric?
The owner's cabin does not fully exploit the view. Reviewers noted the berth faces a bulkhead television rather than the bow windows, an odd choice on a boat sold partly on daylight and outlook.
What do owners and crew report about the Sanlorenzo Sanlorenzo SL96 Asymmetric?
Owner John Wolf, a self-described perfectionist, fitted three separate crew cabins each with its own bathroom on his SL96A Match, reasoning that a happy crew makes for a happy boat. (John Wolf, owner, via Motor Boat & Yachting)
Who it is for: An owner who wants the balanced heart of the asymmetric SL range, with pace, space and daylight.