New Sea-Doo 230hp Rotax 1500 HO ACE engine
Four new models in the 2017 line-up receive the new low-maintenance supercharged 230hp Rotax engineSea-Doo has added a new engine to its 2017 line-up, the Rotax 1500 HO ACE, which powers four new just-launched models — the new GTR-X 230 with Ergolock seat, the GTR 230 three-seater, the GTX LTD 230 in the Luxury class, and the WakePro 230 tow sports machine.
Designed with the Advanced Combustion Efficiency (ACE) philosophy, the Rotax 1500 HO ACE produces 230hp, some 15 more horsepower than the 215hp predecessor it supplants, while maintaining minimal mass for strong power-to-weight performance.
Its small physical stature allows it to fit inside the rider-friendly Ergolock seat, for example.
Importantly, the engine has been optimised for regular fuel instead of premium, thereby saving operator costs.
BASED ON THE 300HP ROTAX 1630 ACE
The new 230hp Rotax 1500 HO ACE engine adopts the innovations and design of the new 300hp Rotax 1630 ACE (review) we first tested at the US launch last year.
The new engine re-uses the 260hp 1503 XHO Rotax 4-TEC, adds an upgraded intercooler (good news), high-flow head, and detuned ECU, leaving open some aftermarket possibilities here.
The new plasma-coating technology for the aluminum-block, developed by the Rotax team in Gunskirchen, Austria, is a thermal-spraying process that deposits a protective coating on engine cylinder walls. This in turn creates a hard and durable metallic surface to withstand piston friction forces.
Ultimately, this engine technology improves surface durability, while keeping the powerplant lighter and more compact, with better heat transfer, superior performance, and reduced use of chemicals, BRP says.
The new 1500 HO ACE engine also features a low-maintenance or no-maintenance supercharger in keeping with the advances made with the 300hp Rotax 1630 HO ACE engine we straddled at the 2015 launch in Nashville on a bunch of new 2016 Sea-Doo watercraft (range reviews).
PERFORMANCE BENEFITS
Sea-Doo says there's great excitement to be had from the new Rotax 1500 HO ACE due to the increase in power, acceleration and speed, efficiency from the regular fuel burn, and satisfaction due to the reduced need for more power, plus the maintenance-free, dynamically-balanced supercharger.
The new powerpack with plasma-coated cylinders leads to better thermal exchange, the new cylinder heads have better efficiency, the stick coils give high spark energy, while the valve cover has a new integrated oil-filler system.
At the end of the day, compared to the previous 215hp engine, the external intercooler has 75 per cent better cooling capacity, and it's made with high corrosion-resistant aluminium for long life, plus there's a sacrificial anode. The intercool reliability will be welcome.
NEW 2017 PERFORMANCE MODELS
In the 2017 line-up, the exciting new Sea-Doo GTR-X 230 watercraft extends the brand’s X-package, with a new model that includes the exclusive Ergolock system, which allows riders to better connect with the machine during riding.
The advances in thermal dynamic cooling and overall refinement in the 1500 HO ACE engine also elevate the nimble handling of the GTR platform for the value-minded performance buyers.
Value is a repeat theme across the 2017 Sea-Doo line-up and this powerful and perky new engine is an ideal match for the introductory GTR models in the Performance range.
More on the new GTR-X 230 and GTR 230 to come. More at www.sea-doo.com.
Here's a Sea-Doo overview video of the new 2017 Performance line-up.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
