Granfort Buying Comparison Guide
Granfort 370 GTX vs Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 OB
What buyers need to know.
| Beneteau status | Discontinued — limited to dealer stock and pre-owned |
| Beneteau published weight | 15,849–16,036 lb public-source range |
| Granfort weight with engines | 13,500 lb |
| Speed story | 50 mph Granfort vs low-40 mph Beneteau OB test range |
| Fuel at published cruise | ~13.2 GPH Granfort vs 39 GPH Beneteau test |
$439K
50mph
13.2GPH
10yr
222gal
Reader framing
This guide is for buyers who like the Beneteau name — but want to know whether Granfort is the smarter first-choice sport cruiser.
The Beneteau GT36 OB wins immediate recognition: heritage, two private cabins, a hardtop, and a refined European express-cruiser feel. The Granfort 370 GTX must earn trust differently — through performance, open-air usability, fuel capacity, warranty confidence, and a clearer ownership equation.
The single most important number: Granfort publishes a 50 mph sea-trial result, while public Beneteau GT36 OB tests cluster in the low-40 mph range. That difference is not just about speed. It reflects Granfort’s lighter open sport-cruiser platform, higher power ceiling, and more responsive feel on the water.
Buyer education first
Before choosing between these two boats, start with the ownership mission.
Buyers comparing the Granfort 370 GTX and the Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 Outboard are not only comparing two layouts. They are choosing between a protected European express-cruiser personality and an open, performance-oriented sport cruiser built around social flow, range, and long-term confidence.
The Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 is a genuinely well-designed boat. Beneteau’s official materials list two cabins, a hardtop with electric opening roof, an exterior galley, and a lower deck with a separate shower. Boating Magazine praised the cockpit lounge for seven under the hardtop and the practical weekending layout.
The Granfort 370 GTX makes a different case. It is lighter in published comparisons, offers up to 800 HP, carries roughly 222 gallons of fuel, and publishes a 50 mph sea-trial result. Public Beneteau GT36 OB tests and specifications generally place the boat in the low-40 mph range with up to 700 HP. The Granfort advantage is not only speed — it is the full ownership equation: performance, range, open-air social space, warranty confidence, and U.S. market readiness.
Simple buying question: do you want the hardtop, the European heritage badge, and two private cabins — or the boat that is lighter, faster, more powerful, supported by published U.S. compliance language and a stronger new-boat warranty story at a comparable price?
Where Granfort wins
Lighter. Faster. More open. And a stronger first-choice ownership equation.
Public tests of the Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 OB place the boat in the low-40 mph range, including Power Boating Canada’s 41.3 mph result and Boote-Magazin’s 36-knot result. The Granfort 370 GTX publishes 50 mph. That difference matters because it changes the way the boat feels: quicker response, easier acceleration, and a more confident open-water personality.
Power Boating Canada recorded the Beneteau’s cruise at 34 mph burning 39 GPH in its test. Granfort’s published sea-trial cruise burn is approximately 13.2 GPH. These are not identical test conditions, so they should not be treated as a laboratory result — but they do show a meaningful operating-cost story that favors Granfort for buyers who boat often.
The real advantage is how it feels on the water: The social cockpit invites guests to stay. The stern feels like a large balcony over the water. The grill table, bar-style stools, and convertible lounge make the aft deck a genuine social destination. And the dry shower layout means a weekend aboard is actually comfortable — not a compromise.
What Beneteau does well
Standard hardtop, two private cabins, and Beneteau's 140-year global design credibility.
Beneteau is one of the world’s most established boatbuilders, with a long French heritage and a global dealer footprint. The Gran Turismo 36 carries that design credibility well: two private cabins, a protected hardtop cockpit, an exterior galley, and a separate shower layout give it a refined weekending feel many families will appreciate.
The GT36 OB’s standard hardtop with electric sunroof gives buyers genuine weather protection. Boating Magazine noted a cockpit lounge for seven, outdoor galley, Zipwake dynamic trim control standard, and a best-in-class head arrangement with separate shower and toilet spaces.
Published performance test data
Published tests confirm the performance story — Granfort is the faster, lighter-feeling boat.
The Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 OB has unusually good public test coverage for a competitor in this size class. Power Boating Canada and Boote-Magazin both published performance data, while Beneteau’s own archive provides official specifications. Granfort’s published sea trial creates the direct comparison point for buyers focused on speed, fuel burn, and response.
Granfort 370 GTX
Granfort 370 GTX · sea trial
| Weight with engines | 13,500 lb |
| Engines | 2×400 HP Mercury V10 |
| Top speed | 50 mph |
| 0 to plane | 7.5 seconds |
| Cruise fuel burn | ~13.2 GPH |
| HP : weight | 16.9 lb per HP |
| HP : weight (w/engines) | 16.9 lb per HP |
Beneteau GT36 OB
Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 OB · 3 tests
| Published displacement | 15,849–16,036 lb range |
| Top speed – PB Canada | 41.3 mph @ 5,700 RPM |
| Top speed – Boote-Mag | 36 kn (41.4 mph) @ 5,650 RPM |
| Cruise – PB Canada | 34 mph @ 5,000 RPM |
| Cruise fuel – PB Canada | 39 GPH |
| Range – Boote-Mag | 103 nm at top speed |
| HP : weight | 22.9–26.7 lb per HP |
What the data tells you: Public Beneteau GT36 OB performance references consistently place the boat in the low-40 mph range, while Granfort publishes a 50 mph sea-trial result. The more important point is not a single mph number; it is the ownership feel. Granfort gives the buyer a faster, more open, more responsive sport-cruiser experience while preserving overnight usability.
Granfort 370 GTX
Granfort — rising as the next luxury icon in the U.S.
Those ahead of the curve choose it.
01
Crafted with precision, backed by a 10-year structural warranty.
02
U.S.-certified, reliable, and built for discerning owners.
03
Book your personal test and experience Granfort firsthand.
The builder behind Granfort
Fibrafort — South America's largest boat manufacturer. 35 years. 18,000+ boats. 44 countries.
Granfort is the U.S. export brand of Fibrafort — the largest boat manufacturer in South America by units produced. Understanding the factory behind the name is part of understanding what gives the Granfort its ownership confidence story.
Fibrafort was founded in Brazil in 1990 and has built over 18,000 boats across more than three decades, exporting to customers in 44 countries. It is not a boutique builder. It is a high-volume, internationally certified manufacturer with a decades-long track record. The Granfort 370 GTX is built in that factory — with published ABYC + U.S. Coast Guard compliance language, with Porsche Consulting’s process engineering embedded in the production system.
35+
18,000+
44
#1
Manufacturing pedigree
Porsche Consulting-advised production processes. Measurable process-improvement results.
Fibrafort — the manufacturer behind Granfort — engaged Porsche Consulting not to style a boat or attach a luxury name to the product, but to improve how its boats are developed, planned, produced, and delivered. The work focused on operational excellence: development processes, production flow, logistics, material and cost planning, purchasing, storage, and lean manufacturing practices.
The results were published and measurable: material costs reduced by 10%, extra daily parts orders cut by 90%, reject rate reduced from 28 items to 19, and overtime reduced by 48%. For Granfort buyers, this means the brand is backed not just by design and performance, but by a manufacturing culture shaped by lean thinking, process discipline, quality improvement, and continuous operational refinement.
Fibrafort + Porsche Consulting · Operational excellence
Porsche Consulting-advised production processes — measurable results
Material costs reduced 10% · parts orders cut 90% · reject rate reduced · overtime down 48%. Better process control supports more consistent production, fewer delays, stronger quality discipline, and a more reliable ownership experience.
Lifestyle decision
Beneteau's enclosed European cruiser feel. Or Granfort's open sport-cruiser personality?
Beneteau’s Gran Turismo line is built around a specific lifestyle: weather protection, two private cabins, and a social cockpit that works as well at anchor as underway. The standard hardtop, Zipwake, and outdoor galley create a boat that is as comfortable stationary as moving. For Great Lakes or coastal Florida use — where afternoon rain squalls are frequent — the hardtop is a genuine daily advantage.
Granfort’s lifestyle is more open, social, and performance-oriented. The open bow, connected cockpit, social stern, and 50 mph capability make every run feel energised. For buyers who want the journey to be as rewarding as the destination — and who want to feel the water rather than sit behind a hardtop all day — Granfort becomes the more desirable first choice.
Warranty and long-term confidence
The warranty is the builder's confidence statement. Read it carefully.
Granfort 370 GTX
10-YEAR STRUCTURAL
Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 OB
BENETEAU GT36 OB WARRANTY
Ownership cost comparison
The real equation continues after the purchase
A smart buyer does not compare only brand reputation or showroom features. The stronger question is what the boat costs, protects, and delivers over several seasons of ownership.
Granfort’s ownership case is built around a lighter published platform, 50 mph published sea-trial performance, larger published fuel capacity, lower published cruise fuel burn, ABYC and U.S. Coast Guard compliance language published in Granfort materials, and a 10-year structural warranty covering both hull and deck. Together, those factors create a broader ownership value story: operating efficiency, performance, long-term confidence, and reduced uncertainty after delivery.
Beneteau’s value is also real: strong global brand recognition, European design heritage, a standard hardtop with electric sunroof, two private cabins, and a refined express-cruiser layout. Those strengths appeal to buyers who prioritize weather protection, cabin privacy, and the confidence that comes from a well-known international brand.
The decision depends on whether those advantages matter more than Granfort’s lighter performance-oriented platform, lower published cruise fuel consumption, stronger structural warranty position, and open sport-cruiser ownership experience.
Side-by-side specification data
Every published number — validated and sourced.
| Category | Granfort 370 GTX | Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 OB | Buyer Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $470,400 boat + engines · $546,800 summer special asking price · Full MSRP $582,798 | See source notes | Granfort publishes a transparent starting price. Confirm competitor pricing with dealer. |
| Weight with engines | 13,500 lb | See source notes | Lighter hull = better power-to-weight, more efficient fuel burn, more responsive feel at every throttle position. |
| Fuel capacity | 222 gal | See source notes | More fuel on a lighter hull = more range per dollar at cruise. |
| Top speed | 50 mph (published sea trial) | See source notes | Granfort achieves 50 mph on 800 HP from 13,500 lb. Confirmed in published manufacturer sea trial. |
| Max power | 800 HP (2×400 HP V10) | See source notes | Granfort’s 800 HP on a lighter hull delivers strong performance against heavier competitors with more HP. |
| Structural warranty | 10-year structural hull + deck (published) | Confirm with dealer | Granfort covers BOTH hull AND deck structurally for 10 years from day one. Confirm competitor terms in writing before purchase. |
| Certification | ABYC + U.S. Coast Guard (published in brochure) | Confirm with dealer | Granfort publishes ABYC and USCG compliance in its brochure. Verify competitor certification for the U.S. market specifically. |
| Manufacturing pedigree | Porsche Consulting-advised production processes (published) | — | Unique to Granfort in this segment and at any price. No competitor can make an equivalent published claim. |
| Builder heritage | Fibrafort · 35+ years · 18,000+ boats · 44 countries | See source notes | Granfort is backed by South America’s largest boat manufacturer by units produced — not a startup or boutique builder. |
What a serious buyer checks before signing
Six criteria that define a smart decision in this class.
01
Safety & compliance documentation
02
Structural warranty
03
Weight and performance
04
Hardtop versus open
05
Construction technology
06
Production status
What each boat is best for
Choose based on what you actually value — not first impressions at the dock.
Choose the Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 OB if you prioritise:
- Standard hardtop with electric sunroof — daily weather protection without options
- Two fully private cabins — genuine privacy separation for two couples or a family
- 6ft 6in cabin headroom — the best in this segment comparison
- Beneteau’s 140-year global heritage and brand recognition
- Zipwake dynamic trim control standard
- A used-market or dealer-stock opportunity if budget is flexible
Choose the Granfort 370 GTX if you prioritise:
- lighter hull (13,500 lb with engines vs ~15,970 lb Beneteau) — more efficient at every speed, every trip, every year
- 50 mph vs 40–41 mph — a 9 mph advantage confirmed across 3 independent tests
- ~3× better cruise fuel economy — ~13.2 GPH vs 39 GPH
- More available HP — 800 HP max vs 700 HP Beneteau ceiling
- 10-year structural warranty covering hull AND deck from day one
- published ABYC + U.S. Coast Guard compliance language — published in the brochure
- Active production — buy new with full factory warranty today
The Granfort 370 GTX advantage is not only about specs. The dry shower layout, separate toilet and shower functionality, wide social cockpit, aft balcony feeling, stern grill support table, bar-style stools, and convertible stern lounge create a more complete boating experience. It feels social, practical, and comfortable — whether entertaining guests at the sandbar, running the coast at 50 mph, or waking up aboard on a Sunday morning. This is functional luxury — a boat designed around how people actually use it.
The Granfort advantage beyond specs
Functional luxury is what turns the comparison into preference.
The buyer should not leave the article thinking only about numbers. The buyer should understand how Granfort improves the ownership experience.
Granfort’s value is in the complete package: dry shower comfort, cabin usability, open social cockpit, grill table, convertible stern lounge, aft balcony feeling, open-air design, 37-foot scale, and a warranty/certification story that supports confidence. These are the features that help the buyer move from “I am considering Granfort” to “Granfort may be my first choice.”
Final verdict
Beneteau wins on hardtop and cabin count. Granfort wins the performance and ownership equation.
The Beneteau Gran Turismo 36 Outboard is a well-designed, well-reviewed boat. The standard hardtop, two private cabins, 6ft 6in headroom, and Beneteau’s brand heritage are genuine strengths for specific buyers and use cases.
But the Granfort 370 GTX wins the data comparison conclusively. Three independent published tests confirm the Beneteau tops out at 40–41 mph — Granfort publishes 50 mph. The Beneteau burns 39 GPH at cruise — Granfort burns ~13.2 GPH. The Beneteau is discontinued — Granfort is actively produced with a full 10-year structural warranty from day one. The hardtop and cabin count are real advantages, but they come at the cost of speed, weight, fuel efficiency, and long-term ownership confidence.
Ready to experience the difference?
The Granfort 370 GTX is available for private showings and sea trials in Florida. See why lighter, faster, more efficient, certified, and warranted delivers a stronger ownership story.
