Money no object

They are sleek, refined and powerful. This is the sort of boat where the owner would fly in on their own private jet, the wife sporting a Hermes Kelly handbag, the airport transfer would be in a Bentley, and the crew would be serving glasses of chilled Dom Perignon as guests come onboard. Think Russian oligarchs, Chinese property tycoons or the owner of a British premiership soccer team.

For the past 50 years, Sunseeker, a luxury yacht company based in Dorset, southwest England, has provided those with a big enough bank balance the opportunity to be envied by all those invited to spend a weekend on a floating palace. More recently, the company launched its newest and largest stunner - a 40-metre masterpiece that can accommodate a party of up to 12 and a crew of nine.

Straight out of a James Bond movie, this super yacht, which will become available in Hong Kong at the end of the year, has a speed of 24 knots - that's roughly 45km/h. With a range of 1,500 nautical miles and a fuel capacity of more than 300 times that of a Bentley, it can cruise non-stop from Hong Kong to Singapore with ease and even cross the Atlantic.

The yacht's cleverly planned layout allows for greater privacy, and a wider choice of cabin configurations, enabling clients more flexibility in customising to their heart's content. Not dissimilar to what you might find in a luxury hotel suite, the yacht's master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe, and the bathroom has its own bath, separate shower and twin sinks.

What's more, automated balconies, which unfold like clamshells off the side of the boat, are available for the master bedroom and main-deck saloon.

The yacht isn't just pretty to look at. It works like magic, too, with amazing technology to match everything from touch-screen lighting to the latest Bang & Olufsen audio visual system installed throughout, and satellite television, broadband and communications.

In redefining high performance, the yacht features special fins on the underside of the boat, which automatically adjust to improve its stability while under way or at anchor, and two independent radar systems and a sonar system to aid navigation.

It also has its own dive compressor, garaging for its own speedboat, jet skis and Seabobs (water sleds) as well as a jacuzzi on the top deck.

This really is a floating palace for the mega-rich to live well, and party even harder.

The yacht sells for GBP14.41 million (HK$173 million) with options totalling around GBP1 million.