Mercury Introduces V12 600hp Outboard

This article originally appeared on BoatingMag.com

BoatingLab Director, Randy Vance, and myself, had the opportunity to run Mercury Marine’s new 600-hp, V12 Verado outboard aboard a test fleet of six different boats at the fabled Lake X test center. These ranged from a 40-foot bowrider to a 46-foot center console to a 50-foot cruiser. Based on that on-water experience, I believe this new Mercury engine will change the landscape of large outboard boats. With dual contra-rotating propellers, a steerable gearcase, a two-speed transmission, 7.6 liters of displacement and 12 cylinders arranged vertically, the V12-600 provides thrilling performance with smoother and quieter operation than any other large outboard engine we’ve run. From the helm, running both dockside and on open water, the V12-600 delivers a feeling of authority that is not matched by any other outboard we’ve tested.

Check out this short preview video we created, read the official press release below, and look for our complete review of the Mercury V12 Verado coming next week.

Kevin Falvey

Editor in Chief, Boating Magazine

Mercury Marine Introduces the All-New V12 600hp Verado Outboard Engine

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (Feb. 11, 2021) — Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), today introduced the new 7.6 liter V12 600hp Verado outboard engine. With this launch, Mercury continues to transform the high-horsepower outboard market, providing its most powerful and capable outboard, which includes several industry first features for a wide variety of applications.

“With boats continuing to grow bigger and performance expectations continuing to rise, boaters have been asking for a better, more capable high horsepower solution to meet their needs. The V12 Verado outboard is Mercury’s answer,” said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president. “Using our advanced engineering and design capabilities, we completely redefined outboard performance. The V12 Verado outboard delivers boaters unrivaled freedom, luxury and power to pursue their passions on the water. This is a remarkable engine that will change the future of boating.”

Groundbreaking product innovations include the following:

• The world’s first V12 outboard, the 600hp Verado engine features a naturally aspirated, large displacement, quad cam powerhead that generates impressive torque to get heavy boats out of the hole and on plane quickly, and to accelerate up to rated speed rapidly.
• The industry’s first two speed automatic transmission for an outboard optimizes engine rpm according to workload, facilitating powerful acceleration and highly efficient performance at cruise.
• The industry’s first steerable gearcase on an outboard pivots independently underwater while the engine’s powerhead remains in a space saving fixed position. This provides more room for multi engine configurations and a wider steering angle for agile handling. With help from contra rotating propellers, it also has better “bite” in the water for docking and other close quarters maneuvering.
• Several enhanced Mercury technologies work in conjunction to enable the V12 Verado outboard to deliver exceptional fuel economy and range.

“The V12 Verado outboard delivers everything boaters want and more in a high-horsepower outboard. This engine makes boats easy to maneuver near the dock and provides superior handling at all speeds. It’s incredibly fuel efficient, so boaters can go farther and stay out longer. It’s so smooth and quiet that you can have a conversation while the engines are running. It’s durable, reliable and easy to maintain. There’s nothing else like the V12 Verado in the marketplace today,” Drees said.

The development of the V12 Verado outboard is a product of Mercury’s continued commitment to investing in R&D and manufacturing expansion, which includes more than $1.5 billion of investment since 2008.

The hatch in the cowl is push-to-open and reveals the oil fliter, oil fill, gearcase lube fill, diagnostic port and more service points.

“We’ve dedicated substantial investments and years of effort toward enhancing our ability to turn highly creative ideas into practical, functional and dependable solutions,” said Tim Reid, Mercury Marine vice president of development and engineering. “That work has positioned us well to anticipate and respond to shifts in the marketplace. We listened carefully to boaters’ needs and wishes, and we created new product capabilities aimed at exceeding their highest expectations.”

The Mercury Marine V12 Verado outboard will be available this spring. For more information, visit MercuryMarine.com.

About Mercury Marine

Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Mercury Marine is the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines. A division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), Mercury provides engines, boats, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications. The company empowers boaters with products that are easy to use, extremely reliable and backed by the most dedicated customer support in the world. Mercury’s industry‑leading brand portfolio includes Mercury outboard engines, Mercury MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard packages, Mercury propellers, Mercury inflatable boats, Mercury SmartCraft electronics, Land ‘N’ Sea marine parts distribution and Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils. More information is available at MercuryMarine.com.