Mustang 32 with Volvo Penta 6.0L

This is indicative of the evolving marine-engine market, propelled as it is by tough new or imminent emissions laws in the Northern Hemisphere. It was upon hearing that Volvo Penta’s new V8-380 won a prestigious Innovation Award in the Engine Category at this year’s International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) that we decided to dig around.

Conveniently, a Mustang 32 was being fitted with the much-lauded new engine and would soon be available for sea trials. Since we take the view a new or different engine can completely transform a boat, we couldn’t wait to get aboard back the affordable 32-footer. And if it were good enough, the Volvo V8-380 might breathe new life into the ailing inboard sterndrive market.

Meantime, the entry-level Mustang has undergone its own metamorphous, with improved trim levels and styling noted courtesy of an optional trim pack from designer Dave Stewart. The interior look and feel is in keeping with the multimillion-dollar Maritimo sister ships that also come with optional Stewart design packs.

However, it must be said that the trim changes are a lot more subtle than the effects of the new-generation petrol V8 engine, especially in the mid range where the boat really responds to the throttle. In fact, it proved to be a rocket ship from mid-range to three-quarter throttle and a damn fun drive.

Our previous test of the Mustang 32 was with the base MerCruiser 8.2-litre (502cui) 380hp MAG big-block V8. The boat was good for nearly 37 knots on the day or, according to the official data, 37.05 knots.

This revisit is interesting in that the award-winning Volvo Penta V8-380 also produces 380hp, only it does it with a 6.0-litre block weighing about 100kg less than the MerCruiser. It’s a higher-revving engine winding up to 5850rpm on the Mustang 32 and up to 6000rpm per Volvo Penta spec.

So we were interested to find out if the latest petrol engine technology bolsters performance and economy. What we already accepted was that the Volvo Penta V8-380 meets the EPA’s new Tier 3 requirements by a broad margin, according to the engine maker.

The catalytic converter comes standard as does the 75A alternator, 10A more than the MerCruiser’s MAG, which is also available with a converter.

From the initial base price of $215,000 with MerCruiser MAG 380hp, the base price is now $226,000 with that engine or the new Volvo Penta V8-380. Our test boat with the latter also had the upgraded soft furnishing package for $5084, a Garmin 750S plotter/sounder for $1783, and a recessed 12V TV for $956 in the upper saloon.

There were some other options, notably a bow thruster that we have previously said should be standard, which took the package price to $237,879. Still, this represents good buying for the price-conscious pleasure boater who wants a locally-made sports cruiser and weekender to carry the family or not.

It’s also nice to know you get local backing from the Maritimo/Mustang dealer network, which might just up-sell you to the Mustang 43 in years to come. You’re in the family with a foot on the big-boat ladder.

Once aboard, the single-level cockpit/helm deck and galley are all largely shaded by the hardtop. Seating comes in the form of an L-shaped lounge to port around a teak dinette. We’re told you could option this up as a convertible daybed. Add camper or insect covers and you’d have an indoor/outdoor bed.

Storage is a highlight on this big little boat. You will find it under all the lounges and in hatches for fenders and lines, plus in drawers behind the cockpit. The charger and house battery main switch, plus a TV were in a cupboard behind the helm seat.

Back across to port is the galley module with new cover, Dometic two-burner gas stove, sink and Waeco 12V fridge, with yet more storage below. Add the underfloor voids either side of the lone engine and in the engineering space forward and there’s no shortage of room for stashing water toys, fishing gear, roll-up tender, provisions and more.

Meantime, there’s a good deal of cockpit floor space left over -- more than many American sports cruisers in this class -- and ample headroom under the hardtop. The space gains come from the fact the side decks aren’t especially wide. Grab rails on the cabin top assist, although a windlass provides helm-based anchoring.

A manual sunroof adds to the ventilation, while the dash remains pretty much constant but for the fact our test boat didn’t have Volvo Penta engine gauges, just an EVC multifunction display. As a result it looked a bit underdone. But the optional Lewmar bow thruster is a blessing on a single sterndrive boat, while the twin helm bench seat is equally welcome.

With the upgraded trim level, the accommodation below decks is even more inviting than we remember. The stateroom in the bow boasts a big island bed, twin opening ports and escape hatch, and his and her hanging lockers. There’s storage under the bed, while the teak joinery has 13 coats of varnish, we’re told. Suffice to say it shines.

Scoring a second cabin with twin bunks is a boon. The kids will relish their ‘cubby house’ while couples will have somewhere to throw the soft bags and clothes. An opening portlight ensures fresh air, but you could delete the cabin door for a more open-plan layout.

Last but not least, the bathroom is a beauty. The big white moulded space has oodles of room to operate the handheld shower and will be easy to clean. The electric freshwater Vacuflush toilet also feeds off the modest 120 litre water supply that will last a weekend if you’re not wasteful. An additional 130-litre tank is an option worth considering.

While a 2000W inverter is an option, the boat comes standard with a 25amp battery charger and two N200 batteries, with a 4kg gas bottle for the cooker. In other words, the Mustang 32 is based on the KISS principle. Add a barbecue and be done with it.

But if money were no object you could consider the Volvo Penta D6-330 or Mercury TDI (VW) 350hp diesel engine upgrades for a $23,400 and $31,600 premium. And you could add a generator, air con and electric hob.

An electric hatch lift reveals our engine on test, the latest V8-380 looking kind of lonely. It’s a compact V8 in boy-racer red. The house and crank battery are nearby, the Whale bilge pump has float and high-water switches and the hot-water service is found down here. In a separate forward utility space you’ll find the holding, fresh and black water tanks.

The V8-380 has a protected exhaust system made of aluminium to lower weight, and the exhaust flow has been optimised to achieve the highest possible levels of performance. The engine and the exhaust system are cooled, as standard, with glycol.

The new V8 also has Variable Valve Timing (VVT) technology to optimise torque at low rpm while maximising performance at high revs, resulting in faster acceleration, increased top speed and smoother, better response in the mid-range, claims Volvo Penta.

Time to put that to the test.

The first thing that was noted was just how smoke-free and quiet the 6.0L V8 is at idle to low speeds. Leg down, the engine has a good amount of grunt for hole shot or jumping the Mustang 32 onto the plane, too.

Irrespective of the influence of tide, the boat is a slippery one, holding plane at 3160rpm and 12.4 knots during our test. But according to the 2.5in Volvo electronic display, 4000rpm is predictably more efficient. This smooth 21.5 knot cruise saw consumption of 56 litres per hour (lph).

A faster cruise at 4580rpm returned 26.5 knots and 67lph, 4850rpm gave a 29 knots fast cruise for 75lph, while 5790rpm gave a top speed of 36 knots on a one-way run. The boat was dry, turns sharply off the wheel, and did what we asked of it, including a handling an offshore sortie in bumpy seas.

Now let’s defer to the official data and pitch the latest Volvo Penta 6.0L V8-380 against the MerCruiser 8.2L MAG 380hp engine. In every single rev range, the Volvo wins hands down and at idle speeds this new-tech engine was almost twice as fuel efficient. No wonder there were not off-putting fumes and smoke!

Stats on the sweet spots. At 3800rpm, the big-block MerCruiser pushes the Mustang 32 to 26.45 knots, consuming 65.51lph or 2.48lpnm for a 263 nautical mile (nm) range. At greater revs of 4400rpm, the Volvo V8-380 returns 25.65 knots, consuming 57.71lph or 2.25lpnm for a 289nm range. Volvo Penta wins by 10 per cent in fuel efficiency while cruising less than 1 knot behind.

At 4000rpm, the Volvo has the boat doing 21.5 knots and 2.33lpnm for a 280nm range. At 3400rpm, the MerCruiser has the Mustang 32 travelling at virtually the same speed, 21.6 knots, but for 2.58lpnm and a range of 252nm. Volvo Penta wins by 10 per cent while cruising 0.1 knots behind.

Full noise or wide-open throttle (WOT), the Volvo Penta revs to more than 5400rpm, returning 37.45 knots while burning 2.91lpnm for a 223nm range. At WOT of over 4800rpm, the 8.2L MerCruiser returns 37.05 knots while swilling 3.53lpnm for a meagre 184nm range. Volvo Penta wins by 18 per cent and is 0.4 knots ahead. So go hard and save!

One last thing: there’s a really interesting power band in the mid to three-quarter rev range. A mere touch of the throttle produces a sporty jump. In fact, it’s so much fun you can’t help but ride the throttle while helming the boat.

This boat has now been sold to a Melbourne customer through Melbourne Boat Sales. This is the third Mustang 32 that dealer principal Lee Vitiello has put onto local waterways: one is a petrol MerCruiser, one is a diesel MerCruiser, and now there's this Volvo Penta V8-380 variant.

"The thing that got me during trials was just how quiet the boat is," Lee says, adding that two of the Mustang 32s have been bought by second-hand Riviera 36 shoppers who felt the Mustang makes better use of space. "Two of the three Melbourne boats live at Martha Cove and one is at Queenscliff."

Both Mustang and Maritimo boats now undergo four different surveyor checks during the build process. The dealer and client also sign off on the boats during pre-delivery. The result is a boat that’s hard to fault from a boat-test viewpoint above decks.

The market seems to like it, too. Barry-Cotter’s entry-level offering has been well-received, with sales to New Zealand, Singapore as well as most Australian states. There’s not a lot of bling, just good dollars and sense.