Finely Honed
Cobra Performance Boats enters the twin-engine, sport-boat market with the 320 Razor.

No doubt one of the highlights from this year's Los Angeles Boat Show was the introduction of the 320 Razor from Cobra Performance Boats, the company's first model in the 30-foot range. From the crisp, blue and gray graphics in the gelcoat to the custom hardware and LED lighting, the twin-stepped V-bottom shined on the convention center floor.

We couldn't wait to get our hands on the company's first twin-engine model at our spring roundups. Unfortunately, the boat's owner wanted it all to himself (from the looks of it, we don't blame him), so we're going to have to wait until the fall before the second 320 Razor is ready to be tested.

The fourth model in the Montclair, Calif., company's Razor lineup, the 32-footer was in development for about 18 months. And while there was a lot of pressure to get the boat done in time for the L.A. show, the crew at Cobra was more than pleased with the finished product.

"The boat turned out very nice," said Hernando Rodriguez, Cobra's general manager. "It looks great out on the water and it looks great on the trailer."

According to Rodriguez, the boat reached a top speed of 82 mph during some test runs. Powered by two MerCruiser 496 Mag HO engines, he noted that the boat had good acceleration thanks to the combined 850 horsepower.

A step up from the base power package—twin 375-hp MerCruiser Mag engines—the 496 Mag HO motors were adorned with custom cowlings. It was easy to show off the neatly installed engines, as the hatch lifted via Dana Marine's new heavy-duty Power Hinge 3—a nearly $2,500 upgrade, but a pretty sweet setup nonetheless.

Rodriguez said Cobra offers the boat with the complete Mercury Marine and Ilmor Marine lineups, along with a variety of custom packages, depending on the buyer's request. Base price is $169,000—the debut 320 Razor checked in around $220,000 with the optional features.

The tooling of the boat was sharp and the wraparound windshield and integrated swim platform fit precisely. Cobra even included underwater LED lights that were mounted on the transom below the swim step.

The helm design was impressive. Along with an Isotta Carlotta steering wheel, the boat featured a Monster GPS Speedo from Livorsi Marine and a Garmin GPSMAP 430 in a blue bezel to match the ones around the gauges. Installed on an extension from the gunwale were the top-mount billet throttles and shifters from Dana. Also on the gunwale were the rocker switches in blue bezels.

One unique custom touch was the carbon-fiber treatments on the dash, stereo cover, speaker bezels and step plates. The same effect, done by Wildwood Custom Dashes, was applied to the engine covers and the grab handles on the back of the driver and co-pilot bucket seats.

Also color-matched in blue were the billet seat bases from Eddie Marine. For the remaining passengers, Cobra included a rear bench. For those who want to get out of the sun, the cabin offered plenty of space for that of a 32-footer. In the first 320 Razor, the owner opted for an air-conditioning system as well as an entertainment center with a built-in ice chest.

The suspended Ultrasuede headliner above the facing lounges and V-berth was neatly installed. LED lighting was a nice complement to the carbon-fiber-style upholstery in two shades of gray. For those who want additional seating, Cobra offers an open bow midcabin model so passengers can ride up front.

In typical Cobra fashion, the 320 Razor is custom, beyond a doubt. Stepping up to the twin-engine, sport-boat market was a natural progression for the Southern California builder.—Jason Johnson

CONTACT INFORMATION Cobra Performance Boats, 5109 Holt Blvd., Montclair, CA 91763, 909-482-0047, http://www.cobraperformanceboats.com.

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