5 things we really like about the 600hp Mercury V12 Verado

However, rather than update a range of existing engines, it went right for the premium end of the market with an all-new product – the 600hp Mercury V12 Verado.

Details are a little sparse at the moment, but it looks to be a monster of a unit with some pretty slick features that should have competitors scrambling to catch up.

The new super-performance outboard engine will be released in the US market in the next few months, and unfortunately, there's no word yet on Australian timing – or even if it is coming here at all.

Even so, here are five reasons we think Mercury’s latest move is about to disrupt the outboard engine industry worldwide.

Think V12 engines and you’re usually talking Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG hyper-performance cars.

Well, now that high-performance bent is coming to the water.

You can even order it in four different hues; black and three shades of white.

It has an automatic transmission that steps up a gear to give better performance at cruising speeds.

It has 48 valves controlled via four overhead camshafts to help with hole-shot performance. You access the top of the engine – to check oil and other maintenance bits – via a flip-up lid on the top of the engine.

It’s duoprop contra-rotating system has four blades on the leading prop and three on the trailing one, generating huge amounts of grip on the water.

The alternator pumps out 150 amps. That means batteries will recharge in no time on the fly.

It has a world-first independently steerable gearcase.

Because the engine doesn’t steer, you can cram more engines in a tighter space across the transom of the boat than traditionally steering systems. Mercury shows four 600hp V12 Verados packed tightly together to give 2400hp in the space that would probably fit only three traditional outboard engines.

And it still trims up or down.

Most outboard engines can only turn about 30 degrees due to limitations in the way the steering system works.

However, Mercury’s new 600hp V12 Verado steers via the gearcase at an angle of up to 45 degrees.

This means the boat will be way more maneuverable at low speeds compared with a conventional outboard-engined equivalent.

Combine this extra steering angle with Mercury’s Helm Master joystick control system, and showman-style feats such as crabbing the sideways to a dock will be even easier and more controllable.

We did a bit of a count, and it looks like there are at least eight bolt holes spread throughout the chassis of the 600hp V12 Verado, so it will be a solid fix to the transom.

The design of the engine cowing helps to dampen vibrations before they reach the boat’s hull, while induction sounds and injection noise are minimised.

Mercury’s test boat for this engine was a 13-metre, 10,000kg day boat fitted with just two of these new engines.

It was benchmarked against the same boat fitted with three 425hp outboard engines sourced from an, ahem, unnamed competitor.

Mercury’s claims are a 20 percent better fuel economy at identical unnamed cruise speeds, and up to 24 percent better fuel economy at wide-open throttle.

It also claims the amount of noise generated by the smooth-running V12 is 30 percent less than its closest competitor.

The world took a collective intake of breath when Volvo Penta boned the 627hp Seven outboard engine, fearing no one else would pick up the high-displacement, high-horsepower mantle needed for outboard-engined boats that were growing in size.

Mercury has caused another sharp intake of breath with its 600hp V12 Verado, but this time it’s in awe rather than shock.