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Marine
Mercury Verado Family Grows by Three
FOND DU LAC, Wis. - When Verado was unveiled a year ago in Miami, Mercury Marine
rewrote the book on world-class outboard propulsion.
Welcome to Chapter 2.
Mercury is introducing three highly anticipated new Verado models at the 2005
Miami International Boat Show, Feb. 17-21 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
The 135, 150 and 175 hp members of the heralded FourStroke family will augment
the six-cylinder 200, 225, 250 and 275 hp engines that took the marine industry
by storm in 2004, providing Mercury a complete line of FourStroke power. Last
year's launch was the culmination of five years of development and a $100 million
investment.
"These additions to the Verado family will make this world-class technological
advancement available to a much wider range of boaters," said Patrick C.
Mackey, president of Mercury Marine. "We set an incredibly high standard
with Verado last year, but we are proud to say we have matched that with the four-cylinder
engines. This launch continues the Mercury tradition of offering superior technology
in a user-friendly package, and we simply can't wait to get it on the market."
The 135-175 hp Verado is designed for all boats with the appropriate transom rating.
It is available in 20- and 25-inch shaft lengths, and the 25-inch is offered with
standard and counter rotation for dual-engine applications. All Verado models
are 3-Star Ultra-Low rated by the California Air Resources Board for long-term
emissions compliance.
The new Verado models are built on a 1.7 L, inline four-cylinder platform, rather
than the inline six-cylinder configuration of the higher horsepower models. Otherwise,
the base engine is quite similar to the larger Verado, with dual overhead cams,
four valves per cylinder and the bedplate-and-longbolt design often seen in Formula
1 race cars. This state-of-the-art concept yields maximum rigidity and durability
from a compact package. Verado has electronically controlled sequential multi-port
fuel injection for the ultimate in turn-key starting and smooth, efficient operation.
This inherently stable design, coupled with patented sound-dampening technology,
also makes for an uncommonly quiet engine.
Like the six-cylinder models, the four-cylinder boasts a supercharged and intercooled
design to produce Verado's signature torque and overall superior performance.
In fact, the new Verado models have best-in-class torque for an experience that
leaves conventional four-strokes far behind. The supercharger compresses intake
air and the intercooler cools it, increasing its density as it enters the combustion
chamber. The combined effect is a concentration of oxygen entering the combustion
chamber that gives Verado instantaneous torque at virtually any speed. The charge-air
system has an electronic boost valve that maintains proper boost pressure at all
times and sends excess air back through the intake.
The instantaneous throttle response is controlled and further enhanced by the
standard Mercury-exclusive SmartCraft Digital Throttle & Shift. DTS uses a
data cable rather that mechanical "push/pull" cables to provide smooth,
precise shifts and no-lag throttle control for an engineered driving experience
usually associated with fine automobiles.
Mercury introduced DTS in 2002 and it has become the standard for premium, reliable
controls. The system has been tested for more than 50,000 hours in all weather
and water conditions, so it can be trusted to take hard-core anglers to the Bahamas,
the canyons off Long Island, the middle of Puget Sound or just about anywhere
big fish are found.
SmartCraft is a CAN bus system developed by Mercury that provides boaters vessel
management information and boat operation that was barely dreamed of just a few
years ago. A control module on the SmartCraft computer communicates with the DTS
system, gauges and other instruments on the dash, conceivably providing any information
the driver could want - all with the touch of a button.
All four-cylinder Verado engines will be shipped with the Mercury Universal Steering
Cylinder. The customer may choose to add electro-hydraulic power steering similar
to the 200-275 hp Verado as an option, coupling a power steering pump with the
universal cylinder.
The launch of the original Verado models was one of the marine industry's most
anticipated events. Since that day, Verado has become synonymous with unparalleled
propulsion - a system that marries awesome speed and power with luxury-car-like
amenities.
The industry media has recognized Verado's superiority and has showered it with
accolades. At the International Boatbuilders' Exhibition and Conference last October
in Miami Beach, a Boating Writers International panel awarded Verado its prestigious
National Marine Manufacturers Association Innovation Award in the outboard category.
The December/January issue of Field & Stream magazine included Verado among
its annual "Best of the Best" award winners. Each year the editors of
this venerable publication consider hundreds of new products for the awards, but
the award goes to the few that offer the absolute best in design, performance
and value.
MotorBoating magazine, which named Verado to its elite "Best of the Year"
list, offered quite a compliment: "A close look at the engine reveals a level
of sophistication more akin to a Porsche or Ferrari than a boat motor."
The new Verado models will be assembled on the same multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art
assembly line as the six-cylinder engines. The line was built specifically around
the Verado's unique design and incorporates a plethora of inline validation points
- including hot and cold tests - that make it extremely unlikely that an engine
will leave the assembly area with a potential issue.
The 135-175 hp Verado models will be released as 2006 model year products and
their start of production will be scheduled accordingly.
Mercury Marine is a division of the Brunswick Corporation. Headquartered in Lake
Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill "Genuine Ingenuity"
in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines;
Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors;
Teignbridge propellers; MotoTron electronic controls; Northstar marine electronics;
Navman marine and GPS-based products; IDS dealer management systems; Sea Ray,
Bayliner, Maxum, Hatteras, Meridian, Sealine, Bermuda, Ornvik, Quicksilver, Savage
and Uttern pleasure boats; Baja high-performance boats; Arvor, Boston Whaler,
Palmetto, Sea Boss, Sea Pro and Trophy offshore fishing boats; Crestliner, Lowe,
Lund and Princecraft aluminum fishing, deck and pontoon boats; Attwood marine
parts and accessories; Land 'N' Sea marine parts and accessories distributor;
Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and ParaBody fitness equipment; Brunswick bowling
centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables; and Valley-Dynamo
pool, Air Hockey and foosball tables. For more information, visit www.brunswick.com.
CONTACT: Steve Fleming
Communications Director
Mercury Marine
Phone: 920-929-5340
Email: steve_fleming@mercmarine.com
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