Video: Mercury rolls out new outboards, new approach to sterndrives
Delivering on the long-rumored news that it would be moving away from auto engines and building its own blocks, Mercury debuted its new engines for 2015 last week.
The new Mercury MerCruiser 4.5L, V6, 250 hp sterndrive is being manufactured at Mercury’s world headquarters in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where the company showed off the engines to a large contingent of marine press.
“This is a purpose-built marine engine,” said Kevin Grodzki, president of global sales and marketing. “We’re no longer force-fitting a highway engine.”
The shift means Mercury will be “able to control the timing and pace of development,” Grodzki said.
The engine replaces the existing V8 with greater performance and is 132 lbs. lighter, said David Foulkes, vice president of product development.
“Before, we couldn’t control the technology in the sterndrive,” Foulkes said. “Now we can make all the design decisions in the engines ourselves.”
As fuel efficiency standards for automobiles become more stringent, it has made it difficult to fit an auto engine to the needs of boaters. The way auto engines are designed “bear virtually no relation to the way a marine engine is operated,” Foulkes added. (You can hear more from Foulkes in the video above).
Mercury also introduced its new family of four-stroke outboards, in 75-, 90- and 115-hp models.
The engines are the lightest, most powerful and most fuel efficient in their categories, said Marty Bass, vice president of global category management.
“There’s been no compromise in these outboard products,” Bass said. “These are the best products in each of the categories that matter to boaters.”
Read more
Mercury Marine unveils new lineup of FourStroke outboards
Mercury says new sterndrives are powerful, proven and purpose-built
See more photos from the event on our Facebook page
I always like to hear about mercury products, I just read about 2.5 million stainless steel props and the new MerCruiser v6 engine. been boating for many years and always had Mercury outboards and MeCruiser engines.Love to hear about updates and new products .
Thank You
Paul Van Scoten
Sirs; I really wish you would think about expanding all the improvements you have made with your 2-stroke engines in the larger horsepower models to the smaller horsepower models. You have already proven their superiority over 4-strokes with the big engines, how about extending same to the smaller motors?
I truly believe that, in the end, 2-strokes will prove superior.
My grandpa has an old boat that he hasn’t used for several years. I figured I would need to replace some parts if I were to want to use it again. These new outboards sounds very effective with the new approach to sterndrives that allow for greater control and timing. This would seem like a good investment for me.