Mercury Racing Unveils New Powerful V8 Outboard
Innovation and Increased Power Output Never Cease at Mercury
Mercury Marine and their high-performance outfit Mercury Racing refuse to rest when it comes to innovation and producing the most powerful production outboard engines available. Mercury Marine remains at the forefront of high-tech and industry firsts with their recently announced 400 horsepower 5.7 liter V10 outboard, following on the heels of the most powerful production outboard engine in the world: the 7.6 liter V12 producing up to 600 horsepower. Mercury Racing maintains their focus on high-output and innovation, not only in the engines but also the gearcases, props and midsections.
Supercharging Produces Big Gains
No stranger to forced induction, Mercury Racing has spent decades perfecting turbo charging and super charging of marine engines for various applications including outboard, inboard and stern drive. Their newest high-performance outboard is a V8 with a modest displacement of 4.6 liters that is familiar across the Mercury Marine and Mercury Racing model line. Except this new model generates 500 horsepower thanks to a supercharger equipped with charge air cooling and electronic boost control.
Many internal components have been upgraded and strengthened to cope with the impressive power output while Mercury Racing stands behind this newest outboard with a 3-year warranty standard. The roots-style supercharger boasts a 26% increase in boost pressure over the previous model while air flow is optimized with an enlarged throttle body and intake attenuator. A lightened flywheel ensures quick climbing of the RPM to her 6,600 redline, all while optimizing power delivery and fuel efficiency on 89 octane pump gas.
Innovations Featured in the New 500R
A first in any marine engine: the 500R features a sensor that measures humidity levels. This data is used by the computer to optimize performance in nearly all conditions and ensure maximum power output whether dry or dripping wet. The strongest and stiffest midsection ever engineered by Mercury Racing, dubbed ARC, Advanced Racing Core, is engineered to withstand the impressive thrust and high-speed of the new 500R. This new strengthened core houses an advanced multi-ram trim system featuring ultra-precise response along with an upgraded hydraulic steering system.
The gearcase received similar treatments with increased strength and diameter of the driveshaft and output shaft plus robust gears producing a Mercury Racing-specified 1.60:1 ratio. Two gearcases are available for the new 500R: an R-Drive and R-Drive Sport. Each unit offers a unique profile and prop that is optimized for your application. The R-Drive is best suited for boats capable of top speeds in the 85 to 100 MPH range while the R-Drive Sport is designed for boats exceeding a 100 MPH top speed.
Harnessing the Power
The new 500R is built on the bones of Mercury's reliable and wildly successful 4.6 liter V8. This engine has logged millions of miles for thousands of happy boaters, cruisers and professional fishing teams. Mercury Racing has imparted their half century of high-output marine engine experience on this reliable V8 engine to produce a staggering 500 horsepower. Her performance-tuned exhaust comes to life with a deep growl the moment the engine is turned over and the supercharger chimes in harmoniously as the revs quickly climb.
While the output and throttle response is almost other-worldly, the weight penalty for all this power is considerably less than competitors at a mere 726 pounds. This newest engine is available in shaft lengths from 20 to 35-inches, in 5-inch increments. Stuart Halley, Mercury Racing General Manager sums it up best: "This motor offers incredible mid-range punch and unrelenting authority." We invite you to experience more of the new 500R by visiting MercuryRacing.com.