For me, Monte Carlo has been the finish of many great adventures such as the London to Monte Carlo record and the Venice to Monte Carlo powerboat races. It is the hub of the social scene as far as Europe is concerned and the home of one of the most famous car races in the world. Monte Carlo is where sex, scandal and sun go hand in hand and fast boating is an integral part of this social scene. This is where the rich and famous come to play and only the best of boats will survive scrutiny in this hothouse of luxury.

Monte Carlo is a place where superyachts rule, and if you have to go smaller then Riva is the boat of choice. With such a reputation you can perhaps imagine my concern when I came to Monte Carlo to sea trial on a small American sports cruiser. I found it difficult to imagine that such a boat could fit into this hot social scene. Wisconsin-based Marquis now use Monte Carlo as their international marketing base, which was why I was there. The boat I was scheduled to sea trial was the all new Marquis 420SC.

The 420 has a European heritage because it is designed by the rising stars of the yacht design world, Nuvolari and Lenard from Italy. They are now responsible for all the Marquis range and with their design skills, I should not have worried. Parked at the quay by the famous Monaco Yacht Club, the 420 was attracting many admiring glances, and it could quite happily mix socially with the serried ranks of Rivas nearby.

On the outside, the 420 is very seductive with its European curves. I love the shape and style, which is distinct but supremely attractive. You can almost hear the siren call of this boat, and those Italians have done a great job in creating something that is both stunningly beautiful, yet individual and practical. The flowing lines were enhanced by the metallic, granite-gray of the hull, with the rising deck line towards the stern embracing the lower saloon windows in a unique way. Above, the deckhouse presents another seductive swoop that has been developed by the double curvature glass of the sunroof. The curves run aft, with a hint of aggression to terminate in mini-fins.

Below, the transom has the same sharp finish, curving outwards in a distinctive line to a sharp point. The balance of the design is supreme and you then wonder if this exterior design can be matched by the interior.

There is a more American flavor on the interior, with cream and chocolate panelling matched to black and maroon trim. The fashionable Zebrano wood of the furniture adds a touch of texture in the neat and practical saloon, where the dark wenge wood deck is on the same level as the teak of the cockpit, but with a deep sill between. Marquis have done a great job of the rear saloon doors, with a hinged opening door to port. The remainder of the glass screen can be concertinaed back to open up the whole area, making saloon and cockpit a common playground. To create even more space, the transom settee can be moved back in port under electric power.

The saloon table can be raised and lowered electrically and opens up for dining. This is convenient, with the galley close by on the port side forward. Here, you have everything you need for food preparation and the galley counter has a feature glass shelf that doubles as a sort of handhold. I would have liked to have seen more handholds fitted in the saloon so that you could move about safely in the spacious interior – these are planned for the production designs.