Mercury Marine introduced four new engines Thursday at the Miami International Boat Show – the Verado® 350hp outboard, Mercury Racing Verado 400R outboard, Mercury Racing QC4v 1550 sterndrive and Mercury 4.5-liter 200hp sterndrive.
Verado 350
The Verado 350 is the most powerful engine in Mercury’s class-leading Verado family of four- and six-cylinder supercharged FourStroke outboards, ranging from 175hp to 350hp. Built on Mercury’s proven supercharged inline six-cylinder Verado outboard engine, the Verado 350 delivers unsurpassed speed and overall performance without sacrificing durability and cruise fuel economy.
The highly efficient Verado 350, which operates on 89 octane gas with 91 octane recommended for full performance, weighs just 668 pounds – 95 pounds lighter than the nearest four-stroke competitor. The Verado 350’s new cold-air intake system is designed to collect cool, fresh air from outside the cowl and deliver it efficiently to the water-cooled supercharger.
Verado 400R
At a staggering 153 horsepower per liter, the all-new Mercury Racing Verado 400R outboard is the most powerful consumer outboard ever produced by Mercury and provides the highest power-to-weight ratio of all four-stroke outboards in its class, achieved through a number of advancements to the proven 2.6L Verado platform. This powerhouse is designed to complement the latest generation of lightweight, high-performance deep-V and center-console boats. The Racing Verado 400R is also the perfect fit for performance catamarans, larger bay boats, and high-performance pontoons.
The 400R features a custom performance calibration, along with a cold-air induction system for improved air flow and power development while significantly reducing intake noise for improved sound quality. An all-new water-cooled supercharger is designed to reduce intake temperatures and significantly increase air density, enabling the engine to generate unprecedented torque and unmatched acceleration all the way from the lower end of the power band up to the 7,000 rpm maximum engine speed.
Mercury Racing 1550 sterndrive
Mercury Racing’s new QC4v 1550 dual-calibration sterndrive is designed for race consumers looking for the thrill of a 1550hp race engine with the option of running as a recreational 1350 on pump gas. It features an advanced control system that enables the operator to switch engine power level via an electronic key fob. The Race key fob turns the engine into a purebred race machine – pumping out 1,550 horsepower on 112 AKI race fuel. The Pleasure key fob is selected when a more leisure ride is in order, creating 1350 hp on 91 octane (98 RON) pump fuel. Both fuel calibrations provide maximum torque and efficiency and are designed to optimize the engine performance at each power level.
The electronic fobs work off of Mercury’s Theft Deterrent System (TDS). The Race/Pleasure key fobs provide the operator visual cues via an interactive VesselView display. One key fob controls the horsepower output of multiple engines. The Theft Deterrent System (TDS) disables the vessel when an assigned electronic key is not engaged. The dual calibration enhances consumer value by offering essentially two engines in one, both backed by a factory warranty.
4.5L 200hp sterndrive unit
The new Mercury 4.5L 200hp sterndrive was designed and is manufactured at Mercury Marine’s world headquarters in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, and is based on the 4.5L 250hp sterndrive introduced by Mercury in May 2014.
The MerCruiser 4.5L established new standards for acceleration and overall performance with design innovations such as a long runner scrolled intake manifold and high displacement, which produces an outstanding power-to-weight ratio.
The 4.5L delivers maximum fuel efficiency and exceptionally quiet operation. Its newly designed rear-facing throttle body, anti-whistle throttle plate, engine cover and mounts, lightweight flywheel, fuel supply module, and structural oil pan all work together to deliver superior sound quality and smoothness from idle all the way through the power band for a better boating experience.
The 4.5L V-6 also offers Adaptive Speed Control (ASC), which automatically maintains the set rpm point regardless of load or condition changes, such as tight turns, tow sports and lower speeds on plane.