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Watercraft
Preview: Mercury Verado |
Project X Unveiled..."Take Charge" with the new Mercury Verado
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Date: |
2/15/04 |
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Location: |
Miami, FL |
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Type: |
Event (Boat
Show) |
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Reviewer: |
Zander |
Introduction:
For months anglers and boaters have held their breath in anticipation of the
unveiling of Mercury’s much hyped “Project X.” Mercury promised to shake up the
industry with the introduction of this new powerplant, and two days ago at the
Miami International Boat Show the veil of secrecy was lifted and the propulsion
system known up to this time as “X” finally had a name….Verado.
Impressions:
The holy grail of marine
motors would deliver extreme power, refinement, low noise, excellent fuel
economy, reliability, and all the while making sure to meet all of the
increasingly strict emissions specifications in all states. Mercury stepped up
to the challenge and five years ago begun development of the new system. The
project took over 100 million dollars since conception to today’s realization,
and countless hours on the side of Mercury Marine engineers.
The main engine is based on a 2.6 liter double overhead cam platform, and
features 24-valves. Mercury chose to use an inline-six configuration for better
balance and reduced vibration and noise. This is part of the reason why the
Verado has such a unique profile. Patrick Mackey, President of Mercury,
confirmed that the Verado's engine was designed and built internally, and does
not make use of another outboard manufacturer's product, or any other existing
Mercury engines.
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The Verado
system is full of innovation and improvements; Mercury wanted to build a
100% American motor with "No Compromises" |
The Mercury engineers didn't just set out to build a next generation marine
engine, they decided to pioneer a new propulsion system. "Verado" is not just the outboard
engine, but an entirely integrated system that includes electro-hydraulic
steering, as well as a digital throttle and shift system dubbed "SmartCraft."
SmartCraft Digital Throttle & Shift uses a data cable link between the control
system and the engine. This gives the driver instantaneous throttle control at
every rpm level, such precise control has never before been offered on any other
outboard system.
The Mission: There is no doubt that 4-stroke engines are among the
most fuel efficient and reliable engines available today, but lack the torque
that 2-stroke engines are able to deliver. Mercury set out to build an engine
that not only delivers unprecedented torque and power capable of beating any
comparably sized 4-stroke engine, they sought to match any other 4-stroke in
emissions, noise, and economy, as well as take on just about any 2-stroke engine
in raw performance. Basically a marine engine with "no compromises."
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The
revolutionary new styling houses a supercharged and intercooler cooled
inline-six |
Power and Precision:
The Verado family of motors will launch in 200, 225, 250. and 275HP
configurations, and is premeditated to deliver incredible torque with a smaller
displacement, making it the most powerful four stroke engine on the market. How
do they plan to do it? The answer is by being the first production outboard to
embed a supercharger into the motor! Mercury co-worked with IHI Turbo America to
build the supercharger system which effectively forces a higher air volume into
the combustion chamber, which results in more throttle response. The centrifugal
supercharger is cooled via an active air intercooler that is designed to inject
boost air that is the exact same temperature as pure intake air. In the engine
itself, each piston is also individually cooled for optimal performance.
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The perfect
powerplant for today's fast running Bass rigs (Triton shown) |
Speed & Control: The weight for each engine, including the entire
steering system and mounting bracket tops out at 630lbs. According to Mercury
this is the lightest complete system in its class. By using digital controls
versus traditional mechanics Mercury should be able to shave off a few pounds,
but were not sure if it is enough to put the Verado's complete package weight
below the competition. Outboard by itself the Verado definitely weighs more than
current motors. Whether or not the addition of 50-80lbs translates into more
power will ultimately depend on actual field tests. Initial tests of the Verado
seem to reveal an extremely solid powerband, with torque comparable to even larger
2-stroke engines.
The SmartCraft
drive system is completely managed by computer, and this electronic drive system
eliminates cables and junctions and presents instant throttle response. The
digital control allows boaters a much greater freedom when it comes to various
configurations of gauges and information. In addition since the controls and
readouts are all communicated to via electronics it would be easy to set up a
second set of controls, useful on larger boats, especially those with dual
towers.
Mercury
also integrates electro-hydraulic steering into every Verado propulsion system. This makes
it possible for boats in heavy chop or facing harsh ocean conditions to operate
with the absence of any steering wheel torque. Claus Brestle, Mercury Vice
President of R&D, said that he designed the new Verado used in the highest
performing sports cars...and Claus should know as he is a former engineering
manager at Porsche in Germany. Mercury explicates that this system will help
provide increased engine feel, and cause the boat to convey manners similar to
that of a performance sports car. In addition, because the hydraulic system is
now internal all of the loose wires now found extending from the outboards will
no longer need to flop around as the engine turns from side to side, resulting
in a much cleaner rigging.
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Steps were
taken to vastly improve corrosion resistance of all internal components in
saltwater, and electro-hydraulic steering makes it possible to steer through
sea conditions with zero steering torque |
Quiet:
Just how quiet is the
Verado? In relationship to the current generation of outboards there is supposed
to be no comparison. While we don’t have any decibel numbers yet, some of the
industry press that have experienced the Verado on the water claim that it is so
quiet all you hear are the wind and water. Mercury patented the silencing
technology that went into the design of the Verado. The entire engine is built
to run smooth and quiet even at high rpm's, and Mercury's revolutionary new
styling complements the outboards technology with insulation capable of keeping
the engine quiet, as well as protecting the valuable internal components. The
result is an engine that sounds more like a pleasant hum than an exasperating
growl.
Pricing:
Pricing has not yet been firmly established but many industry analysts are
estimating the Verado system to carry a 1000-1500 dollar premium over competitor
offerings. Mercury has released rough estimates around $18,000 for the 200hp
models.
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Imagine
fishing with the engine on and hearing nothing more than a tranquil hum from
the potent powerplant behind you |
Conclusion: While we haven't had the opportunity to ride in a watercraft
powered by the new Verado system yet, the technical specifications and apparent
innovation in this marine engine are already enough to make any angler sport a
grin. A new production line in Mercury's own Fond du Lac foundry is being tooled
to begin full production of these new powerplants this April. Currently less
than 200 pre-mass production units exist worldwide, and you can be sure that the
top boat builders are already analyzing, testing, and innovating to find ways to
make use of the full potential of this new offering. Production aside, this new
propulsion system is complex to integrate properly, and not something that may
work well on older boats. OEM builders will likely have to redefine their
platforms to take full advantage of the Verado. While a formal field test
will validate Mercury's performance and noise claims, we can barely contain our
excitement in anticipation of seeing a mass production Verado in action. While
the entire system may cost a pretty penny, it might just be worth the investment
if your in the market for a contemporary high performance watercraft, I for one
will be putting away a few extra bucks in the piggy bank.
Thank you to Mercury for use of certain images
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