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"More On Verado"20/02/2004
Mercury Marineofficially introduced Verado, its heralded family of new FourStrokeoutboard engines, Feb. 12 at the Miami International BoatShow.
The launch isthe pinnacle of a five-year, $100 million effort to produce themost sophisticated marine propulsion system in history, which iscertain to elevate industry standards and performanceexpectations.
Verado -formerly known as Mercury's Project X - offers acceleration,speed and durability never before seen from a four-stroke engine,yet it is nearly silent. Even at high speeds, noise of the enginerarely equals the ambient wind or the slapping of water against thehull. Additionally, Verado isn't simply an outboard - it'sa completely integrated propulsion system with steering and controlsystems. Also, it offers long-term emission-compliance with athree-star California Air Resources Board (CARB)rating.
"The introduction ofVerado is a landmark for Mercury Marine, and the dawning of a newera for the outboard industry," said PatrickMackey, president of Mercury. "It's impossible tofully convey the passion, dedication and effort - not to mentionthe thousand upon thousands of hours - that have been poured intoresearching, designing, testing and producing this amazingintegrated outboard system. It embodies the very essence of MercuryMarine: power, reliability and state-of-the-art technology. And itwill forever change the way boat-owners regard outboardengines."
"I couldn't be moreproud of the way this organization has worked hand-in-hand to turnthis vision into reality. I'm certain our customers will beabsolutely delighted."
During the pasttwo years, selected guests and members of the media have viewedProject X engines at various evolutionary stages through exclusivesneak previews. Little specific information about the engine wasreleased, but the response was always the same -"Unbelievable!"
Assembled on aunique and efficient state-of-the-art, multi-million-dollarproduction line, the Verado family of FourStroke engines delivers anumber of firsts for Mercury and for the marineindustry.
For example,Verado is the world's first production outboard to feature asupercharger. Its remarkable torque and acceleration are results ofan exclusive supercharged induction system with charge-air coolingand electronic boost pressure control.
Verado'ssupercharger, co-developed by Mercury and highly regarded IHI TurboAmerica, significantly boosts power by forcing a higher air volumeinto the combustion chamber than that delivered by a naturallyaspirated system. Supercharging provides Mercury the best possiblecombination of packaging, throttle response and thermodynamicsmanagement. The supercharger system enables Verado to createoutstanding horsepower with a smaller-displacement block.Traditionally, a minimum of 3.0 liters has been required to massproduce a 250 hp outboard engine. Verado'ssmaller-displacement/higher-horsepower strategy allows it, in manycases, to outperform two-stroke engines of equal horsepower. Thatclearly differentiates Verado from standard, V-block four-strokemarine engines.
"This purpose-builtengine was designed from the ground up with powerful software, suchas Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD),Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) toensure maximum reliability and durability in any marineenvironment," said SteveMiller, marketing product manager for Verado. The assemblyprocesses and procedures used to manufacture the Verado family ofengines represent a new standard in outboard manufacturing, ascomponents are continually measured and tested throughout theassembly line. Mercury Marine employs Six Sigma fundamentals in itsmanufacturing processes, and is the first marine-engine company tobe fully ISO-certified.
Straight-Six withsmaller displacement
This in-linesix-cylinder power plant has a displacement of 2.6 liters, or 158.5cubic inches. The general configuration will be used for the 200,225, 250 and 275 horsepower models. Mercury will begin volumeproduction of all four models in April to assure that our partnerswill receive adequate supplies for 2005 model-year commencement.The remainder of the Verado family will be available within the2005 model year.
Verado'svalve train features four valves for each of its six cylinders witha double-overhead cam (DOHC) design. The engine blocks, cylinderhead and crankcases are cast in Mercury's Pressurized Lost FoamFoundry in Fond du Lac, Wis. Supplying fuel to thisstate-of-the-art engine is a computer-controlled, sequential,multi-port fuel-injection system. Precise fuel-delivery andmetering provides Verado maximum fuel efficiency, no-smokeoperation and outstanding acceleration. The injector system alsoeliminates the need for a primer bulb, a first for the marineindustry.
Under the cowl,an idle exhaust-relief system with a low-pass acoustic systemproduces a best-in-class idle sound level. In fact, at idle theengine can't be heard by most passengers. At wide-openthrottle, the loudest sound detected by operators is typically thewind or the waves. A patented supercharger air-induction system,with a highly tuned intake resonator, reduces intake noise by up to14 dBA in the midrange to full-throttle levels, without sacrificingengine performance.
Additionally,high-performance acoustic foam lining is used extensively in thetop cowl, with closed-cell acoustic foam lining the chaps andessentially absorbing high-frequency, mechanical engine anddriveshaft noise.
Verado'sworld-class noise-vibration-harshness (NVH) level is achievedthrough a number of unique design features, including cowling,exhaust and a high-performance Advanced Midsection (AMS)progressive-rate mounting system. The AMS mount cradle isstrategically placed around the engine's center of gravity, andthe engine mounts isolate and reduce vibration transmitted to theboat by 50 percent, while improving overall handling at highspeeds.
A very Smart engine. . .
With its fullyintegrated system, Verado takes boating into the 21st century.Automobiles have evolved according to consumer needs, but theoutboard engine has changed little since its creation more than 100years ago. Verado rectifies that.
Verado'sintegrated system provides unmatched engine information andvessel-systems integration, which means boaters are freed ofhassles such as steering torque, unreliable mechanical cables anddoubts regarding the engine's performance. SmartCraft,Mercury's digital engine-management system, monitors all vitalfunctions of the outboard, conveniently and constantly providingessential information to the helm.
Every Veradofeatures Mercury's exclusive SmartCraft Digital Throttle andShift (DTS), introduced into the OptiMax product line in model year2002. Tested to 45,000-plus hours of reliability, DTS eliminatestraditional mechanical cables to connect throttle controls totransom-mounted engines. DTS is easy to install and calibrate, yetprovides unmatched throttle response and smooth, unrestrictedshifting.
SmartCraft alsoarms Verado with programmable two-speed trim and tilt, allowingboat operators to program the trim and tilt range to maximizeperformance and convenience.
Verado furtherenhances the driving experience through its exclusiveElectro-Hydraulic Power Steering system with an integral hydrauliccylinder. With a small pump mounted inside the vessel, this systemeliminates undesirable steering torque without sacrificing engine"feel" - crucial for boat control, especially at highspeeds.
Verado'sall-new gear case is the product of Mercury's unequalledhydrodynamics expertise. Its diameter and length are slightlygreater than Mercury's 3.0L gear case in order to packagelarger, stronger gears with virtually no loss of top speed. Itsgears are 50 percent more durable than traditional gears, withstiffer propshafts, stronger spline connections and a stronger gearhousing.
The internalwater passages are electrodeposition painted (EDP) for addedcorrosion resistance. The gear case is more wear-resistant thantraditional gear cases, and its seals can withstand highertemperatures than previous seals. The gear case also features dualwater pickups to ensure proper cooling under all runningconditions. The Verado gear case features a gear ratio of1.85:1.
Looks like nothingbefore it!
Verado's"swept-forward" design features a two-piece cowling thatoffers good looks and functionality. Because many of the keymaintenance points are located front and center on the powerhead,the upper section of the cowling is easily removed via a single,spring-loaded latch for simple access - in the driveway or on thewater.
Raisedbold-letter decals give Verado a sophisticated look, especiallywhen combined with its silver Advanced Midsection. "TheVerado's look will be unique in the marketplace - it will notbe mistaken for any other outboard, even from a distance,"said Miller.
Verado isdesigned to be a perfect fit for all applications, from single,dual or triple offshore fishing rigs to bass boats. All models willbe available in 20-inch (L) and 25-inch (XL) shaft lengths. Also,30-inch (XXL) configurations are available in 225, 250 and 275horsepower models. The 25-inch and 30-inch models will be availablein both right- and left-hand propeller rotations.
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