The Miami International Boat Show is just starting, and already Mercury Marine has stunned visitors.
The industry figurehead just released a teem of new products for 2023, most notably an all-new Mercury Racing V10 400R high performance outboard. The engine platform builds off the V10 Verado 350hp and 400 hp outboards launched in November 2022.
Designed primarily for performance center console boats and catamarans, the new engine is being showcased in Miami in a quad configuration aboard a Nor-Tech center console.
The new 400R V10 will generate speeds well beyond 75 mph while offering more power and a higher RPM range than any other outboard in the category. A litany of exclusive Mercury Racing features also add to the overall flair.
“The Mercury Racing team has created a worthy successor to the legendary L6 400R outboard,” said Stuart Halley, Mercury Racing general manager. “The V10 400R offers more low-end torque, more peak horsepower, and better fuel economy than the L6, and delivers full power on 87 octane fuel. The new V10 400R delivers the potent performance and drivability that only Mercury Racing can offer.”
The V10 400R will feature a naturally aspirated V10 5.7-liter (349 CID) powerhead based on the highly respected and well-proven V8 4.6-liter Mercury Racing 300R model. The 64-degree powerhead displaces the 5.7 liters while maintaining the compact width required for 26-inch center-to-center mounting on multi-engine transoms for seamless installations on new boats and repower applications. The engine will be available in four lengths – 20", 25", 30" and 35" – to accommodate any single or multi-engine performance application.
Three engine will be available in two primary colour options -- Phantom Black or Cold Fusion White. Both will be finished with Mercury Racing graphics and Devil Eye Red trim. For boaters planning a custom paint application, the V10 400R is also available “ready for paint” in Phantom Black with no applied graphics or trim panel. Graphics and an application mask are even included for installation after custom painting.
Other standout features for the V10 400R include Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS), as well as the ability to be rigged with Mercury Racing Digital Zero Effort controls. Adaptive Speed Control maintains engine RPM as load changes due to sea conditions or turning maneuvers to maintain boat authority with less control input. A powerful 150-amp alternator – over twice the charging power of the L6 400R platform– maintains the battery charge on boats rigged with power-hungry electronics and audio.
Ventera Propeller Series
Mercury also coincided the launch of the V10 400R with the release of a new series of matching propellers - the all-new Ventera propeller series.
The new Ventera is designed for high horsepower applications on high-performance center consoles, day cruisers, and bay boats. The 4-blade propeller was engineered specifically to carry more load with greater efficiency at high speeds and in semi-surfacing applications, especially when paired with the corresponding V10 400R and V8 450R outboards equipped with the 5.44 HD gearcase.
“As the power-to-weight ratios have increased, along with boat size and weight, Mercury Racing determined it needed to develop a successor to the popular Revolution 4 XP propeller for these applications,” said Nick Petersen, Mercury Racing Performance Propeller Manager. “Our engineering team developed an entirely new blade profile with increased diameter and created a new blade thickness curve that can handle more power without sacrificing performance.”
The new Ventera series will utilize a blade diameter increase from 14.625 inches to 15 inches. The additional blade area is designed to help the prop carry more load at speed. With more diameter, it can also perform at semi-surfacing engine heights that may cause the Revolution 4 XP to lose grip on the water. The all-new blade profile was refined and thickened at strategic points to increase durability without sacrificing acceleration. Efficiency at cruising speed is also enhanced, and the Ventera prop can hold the boat on plane at lower speeds in rough water.
In head-to-head testing using a Fountain 38 Center Console boat powered by triple Mercury Racing 450R outboards and 25-pitch props, the Ventera delivered 10% better fuel economy and 2 mph more speed at 4000 RPM, accelerated from 30 to 70 mph 5% quicker, and reached a top speed of 85.5 mph -- 2.3 mph faster than the Revolution 4 XP.
The Ventera will be available in half-inch increments from 18 to 27.5 pitch for precise tuning of any application.
