Mercury Marine, the world leader in marine propulsion and technology, recently launched its new V-6 FourStroke outboard family and the expansion of its SeaPro commercial line at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show.
The new engine family, which builds on the success of Mercury’s 75-150hp FourStroke outboards, features 175hp, 200hp and 225hp FourStroke outboards and a V-6 200hp SeaPro commercial outboard.
“This new platform will position Mercury to advance product leadership in the 175-225hp outboard category, and deliver across the board on consumer needs,” said John Pfeifer, Mercury Marine president. “These new outboards address applications across recreational and commercial applications, strengthen our core product lineup by building off the success of our recent programs and delivering on the requirements of our global customers.”
The 3.4L V-6 employs a large displacement, naturally aspirated powerhead and proven mid-section and drive system designs. Additionally, the 3.4L V-6 outboards are exceptionally versatile, offering the option of mechanical or digital controls, hydraulic or power steering and black or white cowls on FourStroke-branded products, as well as a variety of accent panel colours. This versatility makes the new V-6 an ideal engine for repower applications.
“These outboards set a new benchmark in the marine industry,” said Pfeifer. “They are the quietest, lightest, smoothest, quickest and most fuel-efficient engines we have produced in this range.”
The new FourStroke engine not only provides large displacement at 200hp, but is also exceptionally lightweight at 215kg – the lightest weight in its class by more than 4.5kg. The 3.4L V-6 FourStroke boasts Mercury’s best acceleration and 20% more torque than the closest four-cylinder competitor at cruise. Fuel efficiency is also unmatched – the new 3.4L V-6 FourStroke is calibrated to maximise fuel economy at cruise, yielding an advantage of up to 15% compared to the closest four-cylinder competitor.
Other innovations that further differentiate the 3.4L V-6 are:
- A top cowl service door that provides easy oil check and fill (if needed) without removing the cowl, making routine maintenance easier than ever before.
- Idle charge battery management capability that protects against consumers draining batteries while operating multiple electronic devices, and best-in-class net charging output of 20 Amp at 650 RPM.
- Adaptive Speed Control that maintains RPM regardless of load or condition changes, improving the driving experience.
“The new 3.4L V-6 FourStroke engine range and SeaPro expansion has been a much anticipated addition and completes the Mercury outboard portfolio. This new family will allow us to target the commercial market more so than ever before and we are looking forward to its introduction into the market over the coming months” commented Ben Allen, General Manager for the Marine Leisure division, E. P. Barrus Ltd.
V-6 lineup of Mercury FourStrokes (175-225hp)
Mercury’s 3.4L, 200hp FourStroke is the company’s largest displacement in 200hp class. At 215kg, the engine is also the lightest in its class, and is 16kg lighter than current product in this range. With its performance-inspired dual overhead cam (quad cam) and four-valve design, the engine will reach higher speeds, faster. In addition, this outboard is the only one of its kind that maintains rpm regardless of load or condition changes and provides a ‘sportier’ feel for drivers.
Superior Fuel Economy
In addition, the new engines provide fuel savings to the consumer. At cruise and wide open throttle, the new FourStroke outboards take advantage of Mercury’s proprietary “Advanced Range Optimisation” (ARO) calibration to generate greater fuel efficiency than the engine it is replacing and the closest four-cylinder competitor.
Additional Colour Options
In addition to Mercury’s legendary black engines, this new lineup offers three shades of white available for the 200hp and 225hp outboards. For the first time, Mercury will also offer four accent panel colours plus ready-for-print panels, which allow for personalisation.
Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH)
The new 3.4L V-6 boasts excellent NVH quality, and represents advancement from current products. Key NVH-enhancing features include:
- The V-6 design is naturally balanced.
- Multi-chamber air-intake quiets induction noise.
- Fuel injector covers reduce high-frequency noise.
- Specific cowl features prevent noise from reaching the operator.
200hp V-6 SeaPro
The Mercury SeaPro 200hp 3.4L V-6 FourStroke outboard sports the company’s largest displacement in its class. It is also the lightest engine in its class and approximately 11kg lighter than the engine that it is replacing. Like all Mercury SeaPro outboard engines, the 3.4L V-6 FourStroke is built for durability and reliability and is calibrated for commercial usage.
Like the 3.4L V-6 175-225hp FourStroke outboards, the new 200hp V-6 SeaPro outboard features “Advanced Range Optimisation/ARO” calibration, which was developed by Mercury engineers to optimise cruise fuel economy. The ECU will adjust fuelling automatically when conditions are right which it does so seamlessly that the operator won’t feel or hear it. ARO allows for optimal fuel efficiency, giving consumers the confidence to stay out on the water longer.
The new 3.4L V-6 FourStroke outboard engine range V-6 200hp SeaPro commercial outboard will be available from Mercury authorised dealers in the UK from June 2018.