Mercury Introduces Four New Engines: 75-, 90-, 115-hp 4-Stroke Outboards and a 4.5-Liter 250-hp MerCruiser Sterndrive

Mercury Marine has launched four new powerplants for recreational boating: three compact 4-stroke outboards in 75-, 90- and 115-horsepower ratings, and a brand-new 4.5-liter, 250-hp MerCruiser gasoline sterndrive. The company emphasized that these engines reflect extensive consumer research and in-house development, aimed at delivering purpose-built marine performance, durability and user-friendly maintenance features.

At a press event at Mercury’s Fond du Lac, Wisconsin headquarters, Kevin Grodzki, president of global sales and marketing, described the new models as the outcome of significant R&D focused on real boater needs. The three new outboards pair relatively large displacement—2.1 liters—with a low weight of 359 pounds on the 20-inch-shaft version, delivering a favorable power-to-weight ratio for small and mid-sized boats. The new 4.5-liter V-6 MerCruiser is notable as Mercury’s first recreational gasoline sterndrive fully designed and manufactured in-house.

David Foulkes, Mercury’s vice president of product development, engineering and racing, explained that designing the sterndrive internally allows Mercury to tailor engine details specifically for marine use rather than relying on adapted automotive platforms. One example is the repositioned throttle body on the new MerCruiser, which now faces aft instead of forward. By orienting the throttle body toward the stern, the engine routes operational noise away from the driver, improving onboard comfort without sacrificing performance.

Retail pricing for the new MerCruiser 250-hp sterndrive was not announced at the event. Manufacturer suggested retail prices for the outboards are as follows: the 75-hp model has an MSRP of $9,235; the 90-hp is listed between $9,665 and $10,030; and the 115-hp ranges from $10,610 to $10,975. The upper price brackets on the 90- and 115-hp variants reflect the inclusion of Mercury’s Command Thrust gear case, which uses the larger housing familiar from the Mercury 150 FourStroke along with a 2.38:1 ratio to provide extra propulsion for heavier boats. The outboards were released in June, while the gasoline MerCruiser sterndrive is slated to reach dealers in September.

I sampled both the new sterndrive and the outboard platforms, piloting a Sea Ray 310 Sundancer equipped with twin new MerCruisers and Mercury’s Axius joystick control. The sterndrive’s Adaptive Speed Control impressed: after setting 3,000 rpm, the system held that rpm precisely through aggressive maneuvers and changes in load, keeping both tachometers steady during donuts and S-turns. The engines brought the boat onto plane smoothly and with a relatively flat attitude, allowing a clear sightline to the horizon while seated. Acceleration felt strong through the midrange, and overall noise levels were low.

Serviceability and user guidance are also priorities. Mercury places critical maintenance information on the top of the engine cover and includes a QR code Mercury calls the “Weekend Saver.” According to Daniel Clarkson, Mercury’s director of application engineering, scanning the code takes owners directly to troubleshooting and location information for items like drive lube, enabling simple fixes—such as adding a bit of lube—without immediately needing dealer intervention.

The three new 4-strokes share similar service information beneath their cowlings. I also drove the 115-hp outboard on a Mercury M570 RIB, an experience that highlighted the engine’s quick throttle response and strong acceleration. The lightweight hull leapt forward readily: the boat accelerated from 25 to 35 mph in a matter of seconds, and went from 0 to about 30 mph in roughly five seconds. Shifts were smooth, and while idling I felt only minimal vibration when touching the cowling.

In related outboard news, Suzuki introduced its new DF200A in June, the company’s first 200-hp four-cylinder 4-stroke. Suzuki positions the DF200A as an inline engine that delivers V-6-like performance by using a larger 175-cubic-inch “big block” displacement and a higher compression ratio for improved acceleration and low-end torque. The DF200A incorporates Suzuki’s lean-burn technology along with multiple sensors—knock, oxygen and water detection—to refine combustion control and engine monitoring. With a listed weight of 498 pounds, Suzuki’s inline 200 is more than 12 percent lighter than its previous V-6 200 model. Pricing for the DF200A was not announced.

August 2014 issue