autoevolution
 

Showboat All You Want With Mercury Marine’s Epic 600-HP Outboard V12

In the era of electrification, Mercury Marine, one of the premier marine motor manufacturers, has just launched the first-ever V12 designed for outboard use because why not?
Mercury Marine Verado V12 8 photos
Photo: Mercury Marine
Verado V12 Outboard MotorVerado V12 Outboard MotorVerado V12 Outboard MotorVerado V12 Outboard MotorVerado V12 Outboard MotorVerado V12 Outboard MotorVerado V12 Outboard Motor
For more than eighty years, the Wisconsin-based company has been producing various marine propulsion systems, gaining a reputation for providing some of the most efficient and reliable lineups of outboard motors.

For those who are unfamiliar with water vessels, these units are the most widely used. They are designed to be attached outside of the transom and contain the engine, transmission, and propeller, or jet drive.

Mercury Marine’s latest creation is the 7.6-liter V12 Verado, the most powerful and capable outboard unit the company has ever built and the first of its kind in the history of marine propulsion.

Verado V12 Outboard Motor
Photo: Mercuri Marine
Yes, you read that right; unlike the automotive industry where twelve-cylinders have long been the go-to design for ultimate performance, the outboard world has never seen such a configuration. That's mainly because if you want more power, you can add a second, third or fourth unit, depending on the vessel.

The Verado V12 delivers 600 hp and features a naturally aspirated, large-displacement, quad-cam powerhead, which the manufacturer claims produces enough torque to propel even the heaviest boats out of the hole and on plane quickly.

It comes with an integrated two-speed transmission that optimizes engine power and enables effective acceleration and highly efficient performance at cruise speeds. The maximum torque is achieved in first gear, and as it silently shifts to second, it’s ready to quickly achieve astonishing speeds.

Verado V12 Outboard Motor
Photo: Mercuri Marine
Conventionally, boats with this type of motors steer by pivoting the whole unit, but since the Verado is massive, Mercury Marine developed an electro-hydraulic steerable gearcase that enables the lower part of the unit to move while the engine remains in a fixed position.

To harness the twelve-cylinder's full power, the company also developed a new series of dual propellers that run in a contra-rotating configuration delivering a wider steering angle for agile handling and more room for multimotor configurations.

Mercury Marine states that in a recent test, a 43-foot (13-meter), 22,000-pound (10-ton) day boat powered by two Verado V12s delivered 20% better fuel economy at cruise speed than an identical vessel fitted with three 425-hp Yamaha XTO V8s. The test also concluded that the V12-powered boat provided 24% better fuel economy at top speed than its triple-motor counterpart.

Verado V12 Outboard Motor
Photo: Mercuri Marine
With the use of a sturdy, next-generation Advanced MidSection (AMS) mounting system, noise and vibration are isolated, making the outboard surprisingly quiet. According to the manufacturer, noise and vibration levels are similar to what the smaller, 300-hp V8 Verado delivers.

Like all Mercury Marine outboards, the V12 is built with reliability and hassle-free maintenance in mind. It can run up to 200 hours between oil changes, and the innovative top cowl service hood makes servicing easy, even when out on the water. In-depth maintenance is only required after 1,000 hours or five years of operation.

Boaters who are looking to switch to V12 power can do so starting this spring for a little under $80,000 per unit.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Vlad Radu
Vlad Radu profile photo

Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories