Mercury Racing has added a small but mighty addition to their APX outboard lineup.
Today the company introduced the 60 APX outboard motor as the latest addition to its competition lineup. The new platform is designed for closed-course circuit racing but will have broader applications to those looking for a small outboard that delivers high-end performance.
The 60 APX was revealed at the Dubai International Boat Show at Dubai Harbor, United Arab Emirates.
The move comes as Mercury Racing has been making steady developments while going up in horsepower, this time choosing to focus on the lower horsepower market while still offering the high-end performance representative of the brand. The industry leader recently revamped both the 200 APX and the 360 APX, not to mention the much-hyped launch of the impressive 500R last summer.
Having recently attended the Mercury Racing Experience at the Miami International Boat Show, it is apparent the company is at the forefront of the high-performance outboard market.
“Mercury Racing is excited to support the sustainable future of circuit competition with the low-emission four-stroke 60 APX model,” said Jeff Broman, Director, Mercury Racing, in a press release.
“We’ve designed this motor to deliver strong performance with minimal maintenance over the course of a full season, reducing the cost of participation in the entry classes for professional tunnel boat competition.”
The 60-horsepower, 995cc 60 APX four-cylinder powerhead is based on the rugged and reliable Mercury 60 FourStroke outboard with electronic fuel injection. The WOT rpm limit is raised to 6000-6400 rpm, and the motor is fitted with a 15-inch midsection and wing plates for the side steering system used on competition tunnel boats. The 60 APX model uses a stock Mercury gearcase with underwater exhaust and a 1.82:1 gear ratio. Dry weight is 112 kg (247 pounds). The motor produces full power on affordable 90 RON (87 octane) pump gasoline. New Mercury Racing Apex graphics match those of the 4.6-liter V8 360 APX and 3.4-liter V6 200 APX four-stroke competition outboards.
The 60 APX is a durable competition motor designed specifically to power UIM Formula 4s class catamaran tunnel hull boats. The Formula 4s class features composite, driver capsule-equipped boats measuring 3.9 meters (about 12 feet 10 inches) in length with a minimum weight with driver of 360 kg (793 pounds). Top speed is about 120 kph (75 mph) on the straightaway sections of the course. The class is intended for young racers starting out in enclosed tunnel boats before stepping up to faster Formula 2 and Formula 1 boats.
You can get the first look at the 60 APX in the video below:
