MERCURY

Verado® V12: 600 hp

The first V12 engine was built in 1904 by Putney Motor Works in London for boat racing. Today, Wisconsin-based Mercury Marine has launched its first V12 outboard—a 600 hp engine geared toward the center-console market.

Building on the legacy of the Verado® engine family, Mercury has reimagined outboard performance to deliver the ultimate luxury boating experience.

With the “unwavering strength of a V12 engine,” the 600 hp Verado outboard offers extraordinary range and performance to “take your boating adventures to new destinations.”

Mercury explains that advancements in handling and control are made possible by the outboard segment’s first steerable gearcase and an industry-first two-speed transmission.

“Quiet, smooth, and refined—this is the engine that raises the bar for premium design and engineering,” says the manufacturer.

There’s nothing different about firing up the new Mercury V12 Verado – turn the key and it fires itself up immediately – but at idle you’d barely know it is there. Mercury has worked hard on suppressing noise, vibration and harshness with this new engine, and its efforts have certainly paid off. I was tempted to try the old Rolls-Royce trick of balancing a 20-cent coin on its edge on the engine cover, but there’s too much of a slope on top.

Mercury has tuned the V12 Verado to stump up its full 600hp serve on regular 91 RON fuel, so there’s no real need for owners to reach for the premium pump.

Of note, the new control unit gives a visual indicator – a green LED on the throttle arm – that shows when the engine is in neutral. Slip the engine into gear and there’s no perceptible change in the engine’s note as it slips into the lowers of the two transmission ratios.

Playing with the new throttle, it is extremely sensitive to input. This is an engine with big dollops of torque – Mercury seems reluctant to disclose exactly how much – and thanks to its Duoprop system it also has big bite on the water, so everything that happens at the electronic throttle control tends to happen instantly down the back.

The throttle is extremely sensitive, so if you’re handing the controls over to a first-timer, make sure they are aware of just how instantly reactive things can be, particularly if you're in a confined space.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that because only the Mercury V12 Verado’s lower drive leg turns, you’re not going to be able to glance aft and sense their direction, particularly if you’ve been anchored up for a bit.

Instead, you’re going to have to rely on an electronic rudder gauge built into the in-dash display. Our test boat also has an underwater camera focused on the lower gearcase so you can also visually check the steering angle.

Muddling along at low speed and it almost feels as though you're on an electric boat, there's so little audible input from the transom.

Open up the throttle and there is an increase in engine volume but it is still surprisingly muted, quieter than a V6.

The electronic throttle controls mean whatever happens at the console is immediately felt at the transom. Big atmo engines tend to have this hesitancy to them as they breathe deep to respond to a call for power, but with the V12 the response is instantaneous as the engine's electronics beat the war drums and rouse the troops.

Accelerate from a standing start and at around 3000rpm there's an almost imperceptible change of momentum as the transmission flicks from first to second gear. You can hear the dip in the revs, but you have to listen hard to pick it up. 

Part of that listening hard is due to the fact that even with a tsunami ofrevs onboard, the Mercury V12 Verado doesn't announce it. This engine is almost frustratingly quiet – what's the point in having a V12 engine when it sounds like an unstressed V6? A V8 Verado is more audibly engaging.

If you're thinking maintenance will be a nightmare with 12 cylinders to fetter, Mercury anticipated that pain point and tried to make the V-12 easy to deal with. There's a hood on the top of the cowling that allows owners (or their minions) to handle the 200-hour oil change without removing the cowling or taking the boat out of the water. The cowling does come off for the major service, but that one's only every five years or 1000 hours. Mercury is also offering a commercial version called the SeaPro that's designed to rack up huge hours and take plenty of abuse. That one is detuned to 500 horsepower, but a couple of those would get your trawler moving pretty good.

While a 600-horse V-12 sounds like the epitome of hey-look-at-me outrageousness and ostentation, Mercury makes the case that these beasts actually represent pragmatic boating. One benefit: fuel economy. How is a 7.6-liter V-12 good for fuel economy? Because to get 1200 horsepower, you'd use either two of these or, say, three 425-hp V-8s. In which case, you still have 24 cylinders, but the added drag of another drive in the water. Mercury says dual V-12s deliver 20 percent better fuel economy than triple (Yamaha) V-8s.

Even more impressive is that the engine has the industry’s first steerable gearcase on an outboard that 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 contrarotating propellers, it also has better “bite” in the water for docking and other close quarters maneuvering.

“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…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.”

Another astounding feature is that the engine is capable of operating for 200 hours before requiring routine service, including oil changes, and basic maintenance is done through the innovative top cowl service hood while the boat is still in the water. The entire cowl doesn’t need to be removed to allow more in-depth service until 1,000 hours or five years.

Verado V12 Power and Performance... The outboard segment’s first V12 engine delivers superior power and performance within a surprisingly compact footprint. Combined with the steerable gearcase and a streamlined, compact design, the engine can be mounted on 27-inch centers, allowing boaters to fit the necessary power onto the transom.

The two-speed transmission makes transferring 600 hp to the gearcase effortless. It delivers maximum torque and acceleration in first gear, then quietly shifts to second for efficient cruising and thrilling top speeds. No shift clunk. No limitations. Just smooth, impressive power.

Electro-hydraulic controls allow the steerable gearcase to react instantly to the pilot's commands. With no movement of the engine body above the water, there are no distractions—just precise maneuverability around docks and smooth, effortless handling in open water. Contra-Rotating Propellers... A new series of dual propellers has been expertly crafted to harness the full 600-hp potential. Designed to operate in a contra-rotating configuration, the new propellers lift the boat onto plane quickly and efficiently, while delivering exceptional handling and fuel economy at cruising speeds.

Exceptionally smooth and quiet...A robust, refined, next-generation Advanced MidSection (AMS) mounting system cradles the powerhead to isolate noise and vibration, while careful tuning dampens induction sounds and virtually eliminates injection noise.

 

by Autonews