On paper the AB 120 carries three MTUs and close to 8,000hp, but figures only tell half the story. You just don’t expect a 135-tonne superyacht to behave like this. The real question is whether you can have all that performance and still enjoy the space, comfort and style you’d demand from a proper superyacht.
This is, after all, a $22,000,000 (ex VAT) yacht with four large cabins, a double-height atrium lobby, fold-down terraces at the stern and even a cinema under the stars up on the sundeck.
AB 120 Key Facts
- LOA 36.9m
- Model Year 2023
- Cabins 4
- Max Speed 45 knots
- Status Discontinued
- Yacht Type Sports Yacht
- Use Type Cruising
- Vessel M/Y Wraith
Review Video
The AB 120 sits near the top of the AB Yachts line-up, a flagship of the open series that combines all the brand’s trademarks - the big power, jet-drive shallow draft and incredible speed – with the scale and presence of a superyacht. It’s a boat that feels as much at home nosing into a sandy bay in the Bahamas as it does tearing across open water at 40 knots. That blend of reach and raw pace is what sets it apart in this market.
From the outside, the AB 120 has the stance of a supercar. The bow is razor-sharp, more like a knife blade than a yacht’s stem, and the whole profile sits low and lean as if it’s moving even at rest. The glazing is cleverly disguised so the look stays clean and purposeful, and even the flybridge is drawn into the lines without spoiling the silhouette.
Under the skin, the build is just as focused. The hull and superstructure are a sandwich of fibreglass and carbon fibre, reinforced with techniques borrowed straight out of the aerospace world. The thinking is simple: keep it strong, keep it light. At around 135 tonnes full-load, that’s a remarkable figure for a yacht of this length. Pair that with three 2,600hp MTUs and the result is a power-to-weight ratio that explains the headline numbers: a genuine 45-knot top end and a 40-knot cruise.
The hull itself has some clever geometry. Relatively flat sections aft mean the yacht climbs onto the plane without wasting power, while the sharp bow entries cut into chop at speed. It’s a set-up that makes sense when you watch her run: she lifts smoothly, settles quickly, and then just devours the miles. Add in the jet drives and you get not only that shallow 1.35m draft but also an agility and control that make a boat of this size feel surprisingly manageable.
On entry, the sliding glass doors vanish into the bulkheads, so when they’re open you barely know they’re there. It’s a flat threshold too, which makes moving from deck to saloon feel absolutely seamless.
Inside, the space splits into three clear zones. Aft is the lounging area with deep sofas opposite a huge TV. Amidships you’ve got the dining table which is marble-topped, and some storage built in for the glassware and crockery. And then forward again there’s a smart little bar, marble-clad with cooling space and a sink, positioned so you can serve straight out over the aft deck.
What really hits you here is the glazing. The broken bulwarks outside and the size of the windows mean you can stay connected to the sea even while you’re inside. Day or night, it feels bright and open, the water always in view.
To either side are doors leading into the wheelhouse. The partitions are activated by touch sensors in the floor, so you can shut the space off when you want privacy or open it to flow straight into the helm.
Owner's Cabin
Into the cabin everyone wants to see and it’s a huge space you could lie down with your arms and legs spread out wide, there's so much floor space. Down here it feels more like a hotel suite than a cabin.
The bed is massive, set on the centreline, with a TV hidden in the mirror opposite. It’s a clever trick you see throughout the yacht - you don’t notice the screens until you want them. Off to one side there’s a sofa and a bureau, somewhere to work or get ready, and a run of storage that lines the bulkhead.
The ensuite is in the corner behind sliding doors. The shower and toilet are separated, smoked glass for one and clear for the other, all finished in marble. The shower itself has twin heads overhead, and there’s a good-sized window to bring in light.
Guest Accommodation
At the foot of the staircase there’s a lovely little lobby space. It feels tucked away and private, but the double-height glazing above floods it with natural light from the windscreen. You can even look back and see the helm station perched above - a really nice bit of design.
From there the accommodation fans out. In total there are four guest cabins down here, each with its own ensuite, and the layout allows a bit of flexibility.
On the port side there’s a twin cabin, bright and well-finished, with its bathroom tucked neatly behind. Opposite is the VIP. That one’s full-beam, fitted with a double bed, plenty of storage, and the same trick with the TV hidden behind the mirror. It feels like a proper second suite, not just a guest cabin.
Forward of the lobby there’s another space that in this yacht is fitted as a gym. Push a button and it converts into a double cabin, with a TV sliding out behind the mirrored bulkhead and a full ensuite bathroom alongside.
All told, the guest spaces feel roomy and stylish, with a consistency of finish that mirrors the owner’s suite. Each one has good storage, ensuite facilities, and that same sense of being bright and welcoming.
Crew Accommodation
The crew get their own entrance via a pocket door off the lower deck lobby. It slides neatly into the bulkhead, and from there a staircase runs straight up to the deck, so they don’t have to trek the full length of the boat to get outside.
In the crew mess, there’s a small dinette with good sightlines across the boat’s systems as there are screens showing live feeds from high-res cameras all around the yacht, plus control stations. Galley is a bit on the smaller side but the kit is good: a big American-style fridge freezer, induction hob, Miele oven, washer-dryers, and plenty of storage.
Cabin layout is captain aft, bunks forward. The captain’s cabin has its own ensuite and a clever pull-out lower berth that slides away to give more headroom when not in use. Forward, two more bunk cabins, each with their own bathroom, so there’s no queue in the morning.
This is where you get your hands on all that horsepower. Three MTUs, nearly 8,000hp in total, managed through throttles that look almost modest given what they control. Flat out you’re looking at 45 knots, with a sweet spot around 40 where the hull and jets are happiest. That’s the speed it’s designed to do, and it will hold it for 500 miles.
The driving position is central and set well forward, so you feel closer to the bow than you expect on a 37-metre yacht. It almost shrinks the boat around you, but you’ve still got the oversight you need. Cameras give you a view astern and there’s a hatch behind that drops at the push of a button, so the skipper can look straight out the back like they would through a rear-view mirror.
Three electric helm seats slide and adjust at the flick of a switch. You can sit low and close to the wheel, or stand with the bolsters up and still feel in command. Docking is mostly handled from the wing stations (it’s a jet-drive boat, so a joystick does the work) but at speed this is the place to be. With the bow out ahead, the view clear, and those engines lit up, it’s a helm that makes the boat feel smaller, faster, more immediate than the dimensions suggest.
Right at the waterline the AB 120 sets itself up as a beach club. Two folding wings drop out over the sea, widening the platform and giving you a terrace where you can scatter beanbags or sit and watch the toys at work. It’s a neat trick that turns this part of the boat into extra living space.
Beneath your feet there’s a float-in garage. It lifts clear to around 1.8m of headroom and houses a Williams jet tender alongside a jet ski, both sliding straight out into the water. A second compartment forward hides another jet ski, so the equipment is always ready to go but never intrudes on the deck.
The whole arrangement is designed for life at the water’s edge. Guests can sit back, relax, and still feel part of the action, while the toys move in and out without disturbing anyone.
Cockpit
Much more to enjoy once you step up into the cockpit. The hot tub sits right on the centreline, angled so you look straight out over the stern. It’s tuned to a very pleasant 36 degrees, and there are big sun pads flanking it so people can stretch out even if they’re not in the water.
What works well here is the way the levels run together. The tub, the deck space, the steps down to the platform - it all reads as one big area, so even if you’re lounging or climbing out of the sea it feels connected. There’s masses of floor space too, not crammed with dining tables, so the whole aft section is just set up for chilling out with a drink.
You’ve got a small control station tucked to starboard with a jet-drive joystick and bow thruster, giving the skipper a great view of the stern when they’re easing back into a berth. Then a staircase rises to the sundeck, while sliding glass doors pull you forward into the interior.
Side Decks & Foredeck
Side decks are wide, as you’d expect on a yacht this big, and they’re left clean with no guardrails as the fenders hang off straps instead. That keeps the lines looking sharp from bow to stern. One of the things AB does really well is glasswork, and you can see it here. There’s a huge band of glazing, deep and neatly disguised, so in profile the boat looks long, low and very sleek.
Halfway up there’s a side door into the wheelhouse and further forward,you find more toys. The aft garage covers a Williams and a Yamaha, but there’s another jet ski hidden under a hatch in the foredeck. It lifts clear, there’s a crane inside, and you’re ready to drop straight in for a blast.
Just ahead, the foredeck itself is another social spot. A sofa wraps around a set of coffee tables, there’s a sun pad opposite, and speakers integrated into the mouldings so you can set the atmosphere. Elevated right at the bow, it catches the breeze and feels a little separate from the rest of the boat. Really great in the evenings, especially with the view back over that long, low windscreen.
Sundeck
On a 37-metre yacht you don’t always expect the sundeck to feel particularly big, but here it does. There’s space for sun pads, of course, but also room for loose furniture so you can sit around a table with a drink rather than having to lie flat all day.
A neat touch is the pop-up helm. Hidden away when you don’t need it, but if the skipper wants slow-speed control at night or in close quarters, it rises up with a clear view forward and aft. It’s not where you’d run at 40 knots as there’s no protection up here, but at low speed it keeps you in touch with what’s going on around the boat.
During the day this is a straightforward sun deck, but as the light drops it changes character. Lighting, music, and the cinema screen set up behind the forward sunpad all make for one of the most magical areas onboard.
Access is through a door on the port side of the cockpit, and once you’re down here you can see it's a big space, and air conditioned too.
The AB 120 is powered by three MTU 16V 2000s at 2,600hp each: the centre engine feeds a fixed jet, the outers are linked to steerable jets, so together they give you the thrust and manoeuvrability the boat is known for. At speed all three fire together, driving the yacht up to 45 knots, and she’ll sit happily at 40 knots for 500 miles.
Two generators, twin watermakers, a sewage treatment plant, and a pair of gyro stabilisers take up the rest of the engine room. Those Seakeepers are a slightly unusual combination as one is a 26 and the other is a 9. Normally you’d expect two of the same model, but the mix here is about space and balance. The bigger unit does most of the heavy lifting, while the smaller one tops it up, and together they give the same roll control as a full twin set without adding too much bulk or weight.
Our Verdict
The AB 120 really does straddle both worlds: ferocious pace and agility thanks to its jet-drive set-up and lightweight build, but also the volume and finish you’d expect from a superyacht of this scale. The shallow draft takes you into anchorages others can’t reach, while the interior delivers Italian style, natural light and proper owner’s-suite space. For someone who wants the speed of a Pershing or a Mangusta but wrapped into a bigger, more versatile package, the AB 120 proves the point with real conviction.
We haven’t had the chance to put this yacht through a YachtBuyer sea trial yet, so the performance figures come from the builder. Even so, in the detail of the build, the AB 120 looks every bit the superyacht that combines comfort with outright pace.
Reasons to Buy
- 45 knots from a 37m yacht
- Shallow draft for beach access
- Double-height atrium on lower deck
- Convertible gym doubles as guest cabin
Things to Consider
- No guardrails along side decks
- Limited cockpit dining space outside
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Specifications
- Builder AB Yachts
- Model AB 120
- Length Overall 36.9m
- Beam 7.5m
- Draft 1.35m
- Hull Fibreglass
- Cabins 4
- Berths 6
- Yacht Type (Primary) Sports Yacht
- Use Type (Primary) Cruising
- Cruising Speed
- Max Speed
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