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.
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."
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.
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.
