Boat Test

Fairline Targa 58 GTO Review (2026 Edition)

Fairline’s new Targa flagship has the looks, the space and a great new stern arrangement - but does the 58 GTO deliver where it counts? We took her on test in the Solent to find out.

Fairline has a lot riding on the Targa 58 GTO. It is the British builder’s new sportscruiser flagship, its first all-new model in some time and it arrives after a pretty turbulent few years for the company. It certainly looks the part, but at this level that only gets you so far.

Underneath, it shares its hull, lower-deck layout and engine choices with the Squadron 58, but Fairline has spent the space very differently. We tested hull #1 in a world first to see whether that has created a convincing new Targa, instead of being a Squadron with the top chopped off.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO

Fairline Targa 58 GTO  illustration
  • LOA 17.96m
  • Model Year 2026
  • Cabins 3
  • Crew 1
  • Max Speed 32 knots
  • Status In Production
  • Yacht Type Sportscruiser
  • Use Type Cruising

Test & Review Video

Performance & Handling

At Sea

Our test boat had the larger 1,000hp Volvo Penta D13s and, having driven it, that is the version I would have. The upgrade is around £60,000 and there is some useful history from the Squadron 58 too - at the time of our test, only one customer had chosen the smaller 900hp engines. I can see the same thing happening with the Targa.

Hull #1 was also heavily optioned, with the Seakeeper, air-conditioning, full tender-garage fit-out and crew cabin, so this was not a stripped-back boat chasing a headline speed. Even so, we recorded 32.5 knots at the top end. Around 25 knots feels like the sweet spot, with 25.4 knots at 2,200rpm during our test. See the full YachtBuyer performance figures and test conditions table.

What impressed me more was the way it drives. This is a big lump of boat at just under 18m, but it doesn't feel cumbersome. The shafts give it a planted feel and the steering is light, yet it still turns keenly when you lean on it. There is a grin to be had here, and a sportscruiser should be fun to drive.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO turning at speed during YachtBuyer sea trial

Compared with the Squadron 58 we tested, the Targa feels more willing to change direction, whereas the Squadron's steering felt light and a little vague. The two tests were carried out with very different loads, so I wouldn't read too much into small differences in outright speed or fuel burn.

The full bow does show its hand when the sea gets on the nose. Into the short head chop we had to knock the speed back to keep things comfortable. It doesn't slice through a head sea like a finer entry, but there were no nasty bangs or grumbles underneath either. Turn the sea around and it gets into its stride very nicely.

The main black mark is noise. We measured 75dB at cruising speed with the boat closed up, and after a while you do find yourself raising your voice to talk to people in the saloon. For a boat with this much GT in its character, I would want it quieter.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO running at speed during YachtBuyer sea trial
Fairline Targa 58 GTO stern view underway during YachtBuyer sea trial

Around the Marina

Hull #1's optional joystick had not yet been commissioned, so we put the boat away using the throttles, bow thruster and stern thruster. In some ways that was more useful, because it showed how manageable the basic shaft-drive set-up is without relying on the joystick.

The D13s have a lovely positive response when they go in and out of gear. There is plenty of shove, but it isn't so aggressive that every touch of the throttles sends the boat charging off. You know what each engine is doing and the response is predictable.

We were beam-on to the wind as well, but the boat behaved itself and the thrusters had enough punch to keep things under control. I would certainly have the stern thruster.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO manoeuvring into a marina berth
The shaft-drive set-up feels predictable at slow speed

A stern camera would be on my list too. There is quite a lot of boat behind the helm and the very aft end of the bathing platform isn't visible from the driving position, so the camera takes some of the guesswork out of reversing towards a quay.

Would I automatically add the joystick? I'm not sure. We couldn't test it, so I can't say how well it works, but the boat was predictable enough on engines and thrusters that an experienced owner-driver may decide they can live without it.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO alongside a marina berth viewed from above
Bow and stern thrusters give useful control
Fairline Targa 58 GTO helm during close-quarters marina manoeuvring
The D13s give a nice positive response in gear
Fairline Targa 58 GTO approaching its marina berth from above
A stern camera would make this even easier

Design & Build

The Squadron goes upwards, with a flybridge and another outdoor living area on top. The Targa stays low and puts far more focus on the stern. There is no flybridge, but there is a tender garage, folding side terraces, a much bigger cockpit and a patio door that disappears into the deck. So although the foundations are familiar, the two boats have a very different character. You can see exactly where they differ in our Fairline Targa 58 GTO vs Squadron 58 Head-to-Head comparison.

That shared architecture gives us a useful benchmark because YachtBuyer has already tested in our full Squadron 58 sea trial & review. Fairline went from initial concept to launch in around 12 months, a pretty brisk development cycle for a boat with this much new structure and machinery above the shared 58 platform.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO Fairline Squadron 58

At 17.98m (58ft 11in) long and 4.99m (16ft 4in) across the beam, this is a big old sportscruiser, and the numbers back that up. Dry weight is around 34,000kg, draft is 1.52m (4ft 10in) and it carries 2,774 litres of fuel plus 700 litres of fresh water. It is also rated to CE Category B for up to 16 people, so despite all the talk about open decks and performance, this is still a boat built for proper coastal cruising rather than fair-weather day boating. Power comes from a pair of Volvo Penta D13s on straight shafts, with 900hp or 1,000hp per side. The bigger engines were fitted to our test boat, and given the size and weight of the thing, they feel like the obvious choice.

Fairline resin infuses the hull, internal liner, structural headliner and deck, then bolts and bonds the hull and deck together. The deck uses a polyurethane foam core, while the engine bearers are moulded into the structure rather than added later. Underneath, the Targa runs stainless-steel alloy shafts through manganese-bronze P-brackets to contra-rotating props, with dripless shaft seals. None of that is especially glamorous, but it is the sort of engineering you want on a 34-tonne boat that is meant to spend proper time at sea.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO cockpit and stern design render
The whole design is built around the stern

Fairline Design Studio is credited with the design, layout and detailing and J&J Design is tied to the naval architecture and engineering of the Fairline 58 platform and they currently have the capacity to build two Targa 58 GTOs a year. What is also clear is that taking the flybridge away has not made this a simple or stripped-back boat. The big glass roof, disappearing door, terraces and tender garage all bring structure and weight of their own.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO viewed from above with folding terraces deployed
The terraces change the footprint at anchor

Engine Room

You can see exactly where the tender garage has stolen the space once you drop through the cockpit hatch. Headroom is limited and the aft end is busy, so this isn't an engine room designed for strolling around with a clipboard. The compromise is obvious, but Fairline has handled it better than the first glance suggests.

The engines sit farther forward than you might expect, which leaves enough room around them for routine checks and servicing. There is space to get down between the two D13s and reach the main service points without too much gymnastics. Buyers weighing up the two power options can also compare the Volvo Penta D13-900 and D13-1000 installations in our engine comparison.

Farther aft is where things get tighter as the generator and Seakeeper are just beneath the garage structure and there is no getting around the fact that reaching those areas involves some crawling about.  

Once the tender is out, a large section of the garage floor can be lifted away to open the machinery space from above. That gives better access to the equipment buried aft and means larger items, including the Seakeeper, can be removed without dismantling the stern around them.

So no, it isn't a generous machinery space. The garage has taken its share and anyone servicing the aft end will know about it. But the installation is tidy, the engines remain reasonably accessible for day-to-day work and Fairline has allowed for the bigger jobs that eventually come with ownership.  

Fairline Targa 58 GTO engine room with Volvo Penta D13-1000 engines
Routine access around the D13s is reasonable
Fairline Targa 58 GTO cockpit engine-room access hatch
Engine Room access is through the cockpit
Fairline Targa 58 GTO engine room viewed through cockpit hatch
Headroom is the price paid for the tender garage

Interior Accommodation

Fairline has gone to quite a lot of trouble to make an enclosed boat feel as open as possible, and the aft end of the saloon is where most of the magic happens. The teak from the cockpit carries straight into the galley, which is a nice visual link but, more importantly, means coming in from a swim with wet feet doesn’t put you straight onto the carpet. It’s a small thing, but a sensible one.

For the aft door, we’ve seen these systems before and, historically, some of them have been painfully slow, but not this one. The main section drops into the deck, another smaller section disappears alongside it and in a matter of seconds most of the barrier between cockpit and saloon has gone. 

The weather rather played into Fairline’s hands during our test because the rain arrived halfway through the tour. Up came the door, across went the remaining section and suddenly we had a properly enclosed saloon again. That’s the beauty of this layout. It can feel very open when the sun is out without leaving everyone caught short when the weather changes.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO galley looking aft through the open saloon to cockpit
The disappearing door opens the saloon right up
Fairline Targa 58 GTO disappearing aft saloon door being operated
This section drops into the deck
Fairline Targa 58 GTO aft saloon door closing between cockpit and interior
It takes only seconds to close the saloon back up

Galley

They’ve packed a fair bit into the galley without making it feel cluttered. There’s an induction hob and sink, plus a pair of drawer fridge-freezers that can be set up as either depending on what you need. Add the refrigeration outside and you’re not going to be short of somewhere to keep things cold.

A dishwasher is optional and it’s a good size, but if you don’t tick that box, the space becomes a big locker for pots and pans instead. Fairline has mined the rest of the area pretty hard too, with overhead lockers and smaller bits of storage tucked into places that could easily have been wasted. You don’t get a towering domestic fridge or acres of worktop, but for a galley that sits right in the middle of this open-plan living space, there’s plenty to work with.

And then you get the little Fairline touches. The fluting carries on through the cabinetry and, rather cleverly, the tops of the cupboard doors double as fiddles. So the bit that stops your belongings escaping when the boat rolls is also the handle.  

Fairline Targa 58 GTO main-deck galley with induction hob and sink
The galley packs plenty in without feeling cluttered

Saloon

The saloon is quite relaxed by Fairline standards and I think it suits the boat. The test boat had satin walnut rather than the full gloss finish, so you still get the matched grain and lovely timber work without it being quite so shiny - or quite so fingerprinty. The main sofa is in a hard-wearing fabric rather than leather too, which feels like the right call on a boat that will probably spend a lot of time somewhere hot.

The table sits low in coffee-table mode, rises electrically to dining height and opens out when more space is needed. Nothing groundbreaking there, but it means the same area works for lounging, eating or having a few people around without filling the saloon with furniture.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO saloon seating with adjustable dining table
The saloon feels relaxed
Fairline Targa 58 GTO saloon with electrically adjustable dining table
The table works equally well for dining or lounging
Fairline Targa 58 GTO saloon television raised opposite the seating
The TV rises neatly opposite the main sofa

There’s an interesting choice on the starboard side. As standard there’s a small sofa opposite the main seating, which makes the room more sociable. This boat swaps some of that seating for extra storage. I can see the argument either way. The storage is very useful, especially if the boat is going away for a few days, but having people able to sit opposite one another does make for a better conversation.

This boat also had a wine cooler, though that space can take another fridge or freezer instead. Glasses are set safely into illuminated cupboards, crockery and cups have their own homes and there’s a TV that rises opposite the sofa. A second screen faces aft into the cockpit, so the inside-outside idea carries on even when someone wants to watch the television.

Even the air-conditioning vents have had some thought as they twist within their slots so the airflow can be sent where it’s actually wanted over just blasting straight ahead.  

Fairline Targa 58 GTO saloon cabinetry with fluted timber finish
The fluted cabinetry gives the saloon real character
Fairline Targa 58 GTO illuminated glassware cupboard in saloon
Glassware has its own illuminated storage
Fairline Targa 58 GTO dedicated crockery storage in saloon cabinetry
Crockery is properly secured for cruising

Below decks is where the Targa 58 GTO has most in common with the Squadron 58. The basic layout is carried across almost wholesale, with a full-beam owner's cabin amidships, a VIP forward and a twin to starboard. For all the focus Fairline has put on the cockpit and stern, it hasn't left the sleeping accommodation playing second fiddle. 

Fairline Targa 58 GTO companionway steps leading down to lower-deck cabins
The access below beside the helm

Owner's Cabin

The owner's cabin is reached down a couple of fairly steep steps amidships, and they are worth bearing in mind if you're wandering down here half asleep at night. Fairline has made good use of the landing, though. Our boat had an extra freezer here, but that space can take a fridge or wine cooler instead, while the washer-dryer is hidden behind another cupboard door. Even the handle has been recessed into a scoop in the timber so the door can sit completely flush. It's a tiny detail, but a very Fairline one.

The cabin itself is a big space once you're down there. The floor is flat and Fairline has gained a little more headroom at the forward end compared with the Squadron 58. I'm 6ft and still can't quite stand bolt upright at the lowest point, but it's much less likely to catch you as you head towards the bed.

The bed itself is at a really nice height. It's easy to get into, but it also puts you almost level with those huge hull windows. We were anchored in Alum Bay during the test and the view from here was fantastic. This is one of those cabins where sitting on the bed and looking outside is a big part of the appeal rather than the windows simply being there to bring in some daylight.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO full-beam owner's cabin with double bed and sofa
The owner's cabin is a big, comfortable space

Storage initially looks merely okay, but that's doing it a disservice. There is a bureau with a lift-up jewellery compartment, storage either side and decent bedside tables with wireless charging built in. The main hanging locker is a proper deep space too. It will swallow plenty of clothes and has enough depth to take suitcases, which is much more useful than a shallow wardrobe that looks impressive until you actually try to pack for a fortnight. There is a full-length mirror as well.

Our boat had the sofa on the opposite side of the cabin, and I'd keep it. More storage can go there instead, but there is already plenty elsewhere and the sofa gives you somewhere to sit that isn't the bed. Sit at the right end and it works for watching the television too. The test boat had the sofa arrangement, with additional storage available in its place.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO owner's cabin dressing table with lift-up mirror
The dressing table with useful jewellery storage
Fairline Targa 58 GTO owner's cabin entrance with wardrobe and storage
Storage is better than it first appears

The ensuite is a good size, with a decent shower cubicle and another useful slice of hull window, but the door arrangement isn't quite as neat as the rest of the cabin. It swings open and holds against a magnet, which means having to move around it as you go in. A sliding door would have worked better here. There is also a step up into the bathroom, although once inside it is completely private to the owner's cabin.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO owner's ensuite with separate shower and hull window
The ensuite has its own shower cubicle

VIP Cabin

The forward VIP is a very good second cabin. There is enough room at the foot of the fixed double bed for two people to get changed without constantly getting in one another's way, and the headroom stays generous right up towards the head of the bed. Sitting up to read or watch the television doesn't involve folding yourself around the deckhead.

There isn't one enormous storage void beneath the bed because the base doesn't lift. Instead, Fairline has found space all around the cabin. There are drawers beneath the berth, a large hanging locker, overhead lockers and smaller compartments dotted around the sides. The ledges beside the bed have fiddles so phones and glasses don't make a bid for freedom underway, and wireless charging pads are built in alongside.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO forward VIP cabin with double bed and hull windows
The VIP is a very good second cabin

Natural light is especially good for a cabin tucked into the bow. There are sizeable hull windows on both sides with opening ports, plus the escape hatch above. Remove the cushions from the foredeck and that hatch brings another source of daylight straight down into the cabin. The satin walnut continues from upstairs, but lighter detailing breaks it up down here so the lower deck doesn't feel too dark or heavy.

The slight snag is the bathroom arrangement. The VIP has a door straight into the day head, which is a really good size and has a separate shower, but it also serves the twin cabin and daytime guests. The VIP door can be locked, so privacy can be sorted when the cabin is occupied, but it isn't a completely dedicated ensuite. The VIP shares the day head on the port side of the lower deck.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO VIP cabin with double bed and hull windows
Plenty of floor space
Fairline Targa 58 GTO VIP cabin television and timber cabinetry
The VIP TV

Twin Cabin

The third cabin is the tightest of the three, though it has a useful trick up its sleeve. The twin beds move electrically to create a double, which gives the cabin far more flexibility if the guest list changes between children, friends and another couple. Even in twin form the beds are already pretty friendly, though, so there isn't acres of room down the middle.

Space above the berths is quite tight too. Sitting bolt upright in bed could be a bit of a squeeze, and this is the cabin where the limitations of fitting three sleeping cabins into this footprint are most obvious. Its bathroom is the day head directly opposite, with an electric toilet and a separate shower cubicle.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO twin guest cabin with two single berths
The twin is the tightest of the three

Crew Cabin

The aft space can be left open for storage, fitted with just a toilet and sink, or turned into a full single crew cabin. Our test boat had the lot. It is pretty compact, and the tender garage pinches more room here than it does on the Squadron 58, but there is still a proper berth and the space can double as overflow storage when nobody is sleeping in it.

I suspect plenty of Targa 58 GTOs will be owner-driven, but I'd still be tempted by the full cabin. The toilet is useful in its own right because anyone swimming off the stern can use it without traipsing through the saloon, and the bed costs you very little once the compartment is already there. When we tested the Squadron 58, we were told every boat ordered at that point had been specced with the full crew arrangement.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO optional crew cabin with single berth and sink
The crew cabin is compact

Helm Station

The helm is one of the best bits of the Targa 58 GTO. Fairline has made a feature of it, with a central driving position, stained timber, stainless-steel vents and three Garmin screens spread across the dash. It feels suitably special for the flagship Targa without disappearing down the route of covering every surface in glossy black plastic.

The driving position is excellent. The seat is mounted high, electrically adjustable and the wheel can be set to suit, so it doesn't take long to get comfortable. Better still, the Garmin controller and joystick sit on a pod that travels with the seat. Move yourself forwards or backwards and those controls come with you instead of being left marooned on the dashboard. It's a simple idea and a very good one.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO central helm station with triple Garmin displays
The driving position is excellent

I'd have the three-screen arrangement fitted. It suits a helm of this size and means navigation, engine information and cameras can all have somewhere to live without forever swapping pages. The displays were easy to read on test with very little troublesome reflection, and Fairline hasn't binned all the buttons in pursuit of a clean dashboard either. Frequently used functions still have proper physical controls.

There are a couple of small complaints. The throttles are a bit of a reach from the normal seated position, which is surprising given how well everything else falls to hand. If you prefer to drive standing, a platform drops from beneath the seat to get you higher and improve the relationship with the wheel and screens.

Forward visibility is very good through that huge windscreen, but the roof arrangement isn't quite what I'd choose on a sportscruiser. The sunroof opening is mostly behind the helm, so opening it doesn't put the driver directly beneath the fresh air. Electric side windows help, but there is no side door either. It's not a deal-breaker, just slightly at odds with how open the rest of this boat can feel.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO helm controls and Garmin controller beside the driving seat
Main controls are kept close to hand
Fairline Targa 58 GTO central helm with triple Garmin navigation displays
The three-screen layout suits a helm this size
Fairline Targa 58 GTO steering wheel and engine throttles at the helm
The throttles are a bit forward
Fairline Targa 58 GTO helm seat with joystick and Garmin controller on moving pod
Joystick and controller move with the seat

On Deck

The stern is where Fairline has spent most of its ideas on the Targa 58 GTO. Fold-down terraces are hardly a novelty these days, but simply having them is no longer enough. The trick is making them feel like part of the boat once they are down, and Fairline has got that bit right.

There is one on each side and they sit low to the water, with optional rails if you want a bit more security. Strip lighting runs along the edge and the starboard side can even take a hammock. Nice details, but the more important point is how easily they join the rest of the stern. The deck stays level across the cockpit and terraces, so there is no awkward step or pinch point as people move around. From there it is a short drop onto the bathing platform, which lowers below the water for swimming.

That platform can get on with being a bathing platform too, because the tender has its own garage rather than sitting across the stern. There is a proper boarding ladder for swimmers and an optional passerelle for stern-to mooring.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO stern with folding terraces and bathing platform deployed
The stern is where the Targa really comes alive
Fairline Targa 58 GTO starboard terrace with outdoor seating beside the cockpit
A really lovely spot
Fairline Targa 58 GTO hydraulic bathing platform lowered into the water
The bathing platform gives access to the water

Tender Garage & Beach Club

Normally, once the tender is in the water, you are left with an empty box. Fairline has had another crack at it here and turned the space into somewhere you might actually want to spend time.

There is room for a Williams TurboJet 325, and once that is out the bathing platform drops to meet the garage floor and creates a flat run straight out to the water. Teak carries into the space, there is a proper overhead shower rather than a handheld wand, a Seabob mount, speakers and a fridge for cold drinks. With a couple of director's chairs under the raised garage door, it starts to feel more like a little beach club than somewhere to hide the tender.

Fairline has thought about the less exciting bits too. The roller used to pull the tender aboard can be removed once the job is done, with provision to stow it out of the way rather than leave it across the floor. That matters because it gives the space a proper second use instead of asking owners to work around the tender hardware all day.

There is a price to pay for squeezing all this into the stern, though, and that becomes obvious when you get into the engine room.  

Fairline Targa 58 GTO tender garage open with bathing platform lowered
The garage turns into a little beach club

Cockpit

This is where Fairline has really gone to town. With both terraces down there is 27m² of cockpit space, but the number only tells half the story. What matters is that there is a lot packed in here and none of it feels as though it is fighting for the same patch of deck.

Fairline has gone back to gloss timber on the dining table, with the outline of the boat set into the top, and once it is opened fully it is an absolute whopper. Even folded in half it is still a decent size, and there is a slot alongside so people can get past to the starboard side deck or hammock without everyone having to shuffle out of the way. Director's chairs can add a couple of extra seats opposite as well. The seat backs run on ratchets but have a small handle so they can be adjusted with one hand, and the cupholders sit slightly proud of the timber so water can run away to the drain rather than sit in the bottom of them.  

Fairline Targa 58 GTO aft cockpit sunpad above the tender garage
The tender garage creates a huge sunpad above

The wind was blowing hard during the test, but once inside the cockpit there was a noticeable drop in wind. Those long side structures that give the Targa its low profile are earning their keep too, because they stop the breeze funnelling straight into the seating area. There are covers to close the cockpit off further, plus a pop-out bimini over the aft sunpad.

That sunpad sits on top of the tender garage and is big enough for three or four adults to use comfortably. It is another example of the layout doing two jobs at once rather than asking one feature to give way for another. Even with the table open, terraces down and people stretched out aft, there is still room to move through the cockpit without the whole thing grinding to a halt.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO cockpit viewed aft through the open saloon
The open aft end makes the cockpit feel enormous
Fairline Targa 58 GTO cockpit seating and dining table beneath hardtop
The cockpit is well sheltered
Fairline Targa 58 GTO cockpit dining table with aft seating
Even half-open, the dining table is a good size

The outdoor galley is another good example of Fairline really sweating the small stuff. The unit has a slightly floating look to it, but the useful bit is underneath the surface rather than the styling.

There is a sink and grill, with the grill arranged so it can be wiped straight into the sink when it needs cleaning. Cold storage is flexible too, with space for fridge, freezer or ice-maker options. The test boat had a pair of pull-out fridges and both were a decent size for an exterior unit.

The terrace and bimini controls are under the worktop where they are easy to reach and read without being stuck on a big exposed panel. Again, it is a small point, but a useful one.

It is not quite as neat a link between outside and the indoor galley as some Galeons manage with an opening bar directly between the two, and that is worth saying. Fairline claws some of that back with the way the patio door drops away and the teak floor runs inside.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO cockpit galley with grill and sink beneath hinged cover
The outdoor galley is neatly packaged

Side Decks & Foredeck

The side decks are easy to overlook, but the weather gave us a decent test of them because the boat was quite rolly even with the Seakeeper on.  The raised edges are much more than token toe rails - almost knee height in places - and the guardrails above are chunky too, so that gives plenty to lean against or hold onto when the boat starts to move.

But a few studs sit proud of the teak where the removable deck panels appear to be fixed down, and they are worth keeping an eye on with bare feet. Otherwise, the route forward and aft feels very secure.

Fairline Targa 58 GTO port side deck with raised bulwark and guardrails
Secure even when it gets rolly
Fairline Targa 58 GTO side deck with teak walkway and hull window
Fairline Targa 58 GTO starboard side deck leading forward

I know the stern is going to steal most of the attention on this boat, but the bow has a lot going for it too. Right forward, the anchor locker is split so fenders and lines have their own space away from the windlass.  Behind it, the sunpad has a ratchet backrest so it can lie flat or prop you up to face forward, with useful storage beneath on both sides for lines, lifejackets and other loose kit. Small rails beside the cushions give you something to brace against when the boat moves, while recesses alongside are handy for phones and other bits you do not want skittering across the deck.

The optional table gives this area a lovely second use for drinks or lunch, which the Squadron 58 does not offer in the same way, but Fairline has also thought about what happens when it is not needed. The top folds in half and the whole thing drops away behind the sofa, out of the sun and salt rather than left to take a battering. 

Fairline Targa 58 GTO foredeck sunpad beside the split anchor locker
The bow has more going on than just a sunpad
Fairline Targa 58 GTO foredeck seating with optional folding table
Fairline Targa 58 GTO foredeck sunpad with adjustable backrest
A ratchet backrest on the sunpad

Value For Money

The Targa 58 GTO starts at £1.68 million, and the standard boat is hardly bare bones. The hi-lo bathing platform, 17kW generator, bow thruster, Garmin 16in display with autopilot, cockpit canopy and foredeck seating are already included, along with the three-cabin layout. The D13-1000s add around £60,000 over the 900s and, having driven this boat, that is money I would spend.

Our Options & Pick

The options list can still get away from you. The folding terraces that do so much for the cockpit are optional, as are the crew cabin and the Seakeeper fitted to our test boat, while its three-screen helm goes beyond the standard single Garmin display. So the headline figure and the price of a boat like hull one are two rather different things. 

Our Verdict

Fairline needed the Targa 58 GTO to land well, and it really has in my opinion. It feels like a boat with some confidence behind it. The detailing is thoughtful, the helm is excellent, the stern layout works in practice and the 1,000hp D13s give it the performance to back up the styling.

A few things still want attention. Cruise noise is higher than I would expect, the tender garage pinches space from the machinery area and the most desirable version will sit some way above the headline price once the options start going on. Time will tell whether the 58 GTO becomes the commercial success Fairline needs, but as a statement of where the yard is heading, it is a strong one. Judged simply as a boat, it works - and that is enough to earn it a YachtBuyer 5-Star Award.

Reasons to Buy

  • Huge 27m² cockpit with terraces
  • Tender garage doubles as beach club
  • Excellent central helm driving position
  • Disappearing aft door opens saloon fully

Things to Consider

  • Cruise noise higher than expected
  • Terraces are optional, not standard

Pricing

Price as reviewed: £1,740,000

The D13-900 version starts at £1.68 million ex VAT. Hull #1 carried a substantial options list, so its full as-tested price would be higher. As this boat is still very new, there is little used-market history, but YachtBuyer MarketWatch will track current Targa 58 GTO listings and asking prices as they come to market.

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Rivals to Consider

The Princess V55 is probably the most straightforward rival here. At 17.81m (58ft 5in) it is almost the same length as the Targa and, rather neatly, uses the same choice of Volvo Penta D13-900 or D13-1000 engines on shafts. It is a narrower boat at 4.65m (15ft 3in), though, and the layout feels more conventional, with three cabins, a full-beam owner's cabin amidships and no equivalent to the Fairline's big terrace-and-garage arrangement at the stern. Where the Princess punches back is performance. With the larger engines it will run to a claimed 37 knots, a fair step beyond the Targa, and prices currently start from £1.105 million. If outright pace and a proven sportscruiser layout rank above the Targa's more adventurous deck design, the V55 makes a very strong case.

The Sunseeker Predator 55 is shorter at 17.15m (56ft 3in), but its 4.93m (16ft 2in) beam is very close to the Fairline's, so it doesn't feel like much of a step down in footprint. Sunseeker has taken a different route underneath, using twin 725hp Volvo Penta D11-IPS950s rather than big D13s on shafts, and the result is a claimed 36-knot top speed. There are three cabins for six, including a full-beam owner's cabin aft, plus the sort of outdoor kit expected on a Predator - foredeck seating, sunpads and an exterior bar. From £1.595 million, it sits close enough to the Targa financially to deserve serious attention. The choice comes down to emphasis: the Sunseeker has more speed and a sharper sportsboat flavour, while the Fairline puts far more effort into what happens around the stern once the engines are switched off.

The Azimut Seadeck 6 Sundeck is the odd one out in a useful way. It is slightly shorter than the Targa at 17.50m (57ft 5in) yet wider at 5.05m (16ft 7in), and Azimut uses that footprint very differently. Instead of keeping everything low, the Sundeck adds an open upper level, so there are three decks rather than two. Accommodation is closely matched, with seven guests in three cabins, but propulsion comes from triple Volvo Penta IPS500s as standard, with IPS650s available, and maximum speed is around 31 knots. It won't tempt someone who specifically wants big diesels on shafts, but buyers drawn to the Targa because of its outdoor living should certainly try this as well. The Azimut gives away some of that low sportscruiser feel in return for an extra deck, a slightly wider beam and another substantial outside area.

We have come back to the Fairline Squadron 58 throughout this review for good reason. Underneath, these two boats are very closely related, but they cater for quite different owners. The Squadron uses its extra height for a flybridge and adds a fourth cabin, taking accommodation to eight guests, whereas the Targa keeps everything lower and pours its effort into the cockpit, tender garage and connection with the water. The Squadron is therefore the obvious alternative if extra accommodation, shade and another outdoor living area matter more than the Targa's sportscruiser character. Prices currently start from £1.499 million.

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Specifications & Performance

  • Length Overall 17.96m
  • Beam 4.99m
  • Hull GRP
  • Cabins 3
  • Berths 6
  • Crew 1
  • Cruising Speed
  • Max Speed
  • Fuel Capacity 2,774 Litres
  • Fresh Water Capacity 700 Litres
  • Engine Model 2x Volvo Penta D13-1000
New Model Specs & Options

Performance Data

Fairline Targa 58 GTO version 2026. *Data collected by YachtBuyer during testing.

Test Engines Twin Volvo Penta D13-1000

  •  
  • RPM
  • Knots
  • Liters Per Hour
  • Liters Per Mile
  • Range (nm)
  • Decibels
    •  ECO
    • 1,000
    • 7.5
    • 37
    • 5
    • 501
    • 69 
    •  
    • 1,200
    • 8.8
    • 66
    • 8
    • 329
    • 66 
    •  
    • 1,400
    • 10.2
    • 102
    • 10
    • 247
    • 67 
    •  
    • 1,600
    • 13.2
    • 144
    • 11
    • 226
    • 69 
    •  
    • 1,800
    • 16.6
    • 189
    • 11
    • 217
    • 70 
    •  
    • 2,000
    • 21.1
    • 241
    • 11
    • 216
    • 74 
    •  CRUISE
    • 2,200
    • 25.4
    • 292
    • 11
    • 215
    • 75 
    •  MAX
    • 2,470
    • 32.5
    • 351
    • 11
    • 229
    • 76 

Yacht Load: 600 Litres of water 2700 Litres of fuel 7 people air temperature of 19 °C

Sea Conditions: Noticeable roll at rest and a short head-on chop during the sea trial. We had to ease the speed back when running directly into it to keep things comfortable. Running downwind was considerably easier.

Notes: Trim tabs were at 40% deployment for the recorded performance runs. Range figures keep 10% fuel in reserve.

Tenders

The Fairline Targa 58 GTO supports tenders with a max length of 3.25m

Fairline Targa 58 GTO Layout

  • Main Deck Fairline Targa 58 GTO

    The balconies extend the beam to 4.99m 

  • Lower Deck Fairline Targa 58 GTO

    The lower deck layout is identical to the Squadron 58, except for the addition of the tender garage 

View All Layout Options

Available Stock