New 2018 Mercury V6 175hp, 200hp and 225hp FourStrokes dare to be different

Mercury Marine has released its all new V6 FourStroke outboard family and the expansion of its SeaPro commercial line at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show. The new engines include the 175hp, 200hp and 225hp FourStroke outboards and a V6 200hp SeaPro commercial outboard.

As you can see from the accompanying images, the new generation of V6 FourStroke outboards has some cutting-edge cowl styling. Beyond the audacious cosmetics, there's some cool new technology to consider.

All four outboards are built on Mercury's new 3.4L V6 platform, which is designed to be powerful, light, compact and fuel-efficient. It employs a large displacement, naturally-aspirated powerhead and, says Mercury, a proven mid-section and drive-system designs.

John Pfeifer, Mercury Marine President, said the new platform will position Mercury to advance product leadership in the 175-225hp outboard category, and deliver across the board on consumer needs.

"These new outboards address applications across recreational and commercial applications, strengthen our core product lineup by building off the success of our recent programs, and delivering on the requirements of our global customers."

"These outboards set a new benchmark in the marine industry," Pfeifer adds.

"They are the quietest, lightest, smoothest, quickest and most fuel-efficient engines we have produced in this range."

LIGHT, POWERFUL AND SPORTY
The new FourStroke 200hp engines provides large displacement of 3.4L yet, at 215kg, it is also the lightest in its class by more than 4.5kgs, Mercury says.

The 3.4L V6 FourStroke platform also boasts Mercury's best acceleration and, according to the marine-engine maker, 20 per cent percent more torque than the closest four-cylinder competitor at cruise.

With a performance-inspired dual overhead quad cam and four-valve design, the engine is designed to reach higher speeds faster.

In addition, this outboard is apparently the only one of its kind that maintains RPM regardless of load or condition changes, resulting in a "sportier" feel for drivers through the turns.

FUEL EFFICIENCY
Fuel efficiency is said to be unmatched. Calibrated to maximise fuel economy at cruise, Mercury claims its new platform yields an advantage of up to 15 per cent compared to the closest four-cylinder competitor.

Mercury says at cruise and at WOT, the new four-stroke outboards take advantage of its proprietary "Advanced Range Optimisation" (ARO) calibration to generate the said "class-leading fuel efficiency."

THROTTLE AND STEERING OPTIONS
Additionally, the 3.4L V6 outboards are versatile, with the option of mechanical or digital controls, hydraulic or power steering, and black or white cowls on FourStroke-branded products, as well as a variety of accent panel colours. Mercury hopes this will makes the new V6 an ideal engine for repower applications.

NOISE DAMPENING
The new 3.4L V6 has been designed with superior Noise Vibration Harshness (NVH) qualities over current products. Key NVH-enhancing features include:
>> The V6 design is naturally balanced.
>> Multi-chamber air-intake quiets induction noise.
>> Fuel injector covers reduce high-frequency noise.
>> Specific cowl features prevent noise from reaching the operator.

COLOUR OPTIONS
In addition to Mercury's legendary black engines, this new lineup is also available in white for the 200hp and 225hp outboards. For the first time, Mercury will also offer four accent panel colours plus ready-for-paint panels, which allow for personalisation.

DESIGN INNOVATIONS 
Other innovations of the 3.4L V6 include:
>> A top cowl service door which provides easy oil check and fill (if needed), making routine maintenance easier than ever before;
>> Idle charge battery-management capability that protects against battery-drain while operating multiple electronic devices, and best-in-class net charging output of 20 Amp at 650 RPM;
>> Adaptive Speed Control that maintains RPM regardless of load or condition changes, improving the driving experience;

NEW V6 SEAPRO 200HP
Last but not least, Mercury has a new SeaPro 200hp 3.4L V6 FourStroke outboard — the company's largest displacement in its class — but also the lightest engine in its class and is approximately 11kgs lighter than the engine it is replacing.

Like all Mercury SeaPro outboard engines, the 3.4L V6 FourStroke is built for durability and reliability and is calibrated for commercial usage, which is a market Mercury is actively chasing these days.

The new 200hp V6 SeaPro outboard features the aforesaid "Advanced Range Optimisation/ARO" calibration, which was developed by Mercury engineers to optimise cruise fuel economy.

The ECU will adjust fuelling automatically when conditions are right, seamlessly, so you won't feel or hear it, as your range increases along with the options to stay out longer on the water.

More at Mercury Marine.