If Mercury Marine sneezes, does Mercury Racing catch a cold? Or is it the other way around?
Beyond bragging rights within either Brunswick-held entities, I’m not sure it matters.
I bring this up now because last night’s media introduction of the 425-hp Mercury Marine Verado V-10 outboard engine and its “enhanced” 350-hp sister-product raises natural questions about what they mean to Mercury Racing and the high-performance outboard engine segment. It’s a safe bet they mean something—the folks at both Fond du Lac, Wis., companies do talk to one another and strategically collaborate and plan in long-term fashion.
But that’s common knowledge. Beyond it, I know nothing. And if I did I’d likely be under some kind of embargo so I wouldn’t be able to reveal it.
Of course, I’ve heard rumors. I ignore them. Rumors are useless until they become verifiable and reportable facts. And more often than not they do not.
But back to the Verado outboard-line news of the new 425-hp kind. During last night’s product intro, the Mercury Marine folks said the 400-hp V-10 will remain the in the line. That’s an intriguing data point given the relatively small power difference between the two outboards.
So why the 425, period? The answer perhaps lies in the competition, and I don’t mean Yamaha’s 425-hp V-8 outboard. I mean Yamaha’s 450-hp V-8 outboard. According to the release, the Verado 425 is faster, lighter and quieter than its “450-hp competitor.”
As often in a press release, what isn’t revealed is more telling than what is. You can safely assume that the “450-hp competitor” is a Yamaha outboard because no mainstream manufacturer other than Mercury Racing offers one. But Mercury Marine isn’t about to slap its chief competitor’s name in one of its own press releases.
And the release sure isn’t comparing the new V-10 425 Verado to the V-8 Mercury Racing 450R.
First, it’s out of production. Second, as noted above Mercury Marine and Mercury Racing have the same parent company. So when one sneezes, the other gets a cold.
And it really doesn’t matter which one.