New 4 stroke from Mercury???

**ZO6** · 05-03-2016, 10:55 PM

Local Mercury dealer told me today Merc is coming out with a new 200 and 250hp 4stroke built around the 150 non Verado model. Anyone able to confirm? Or know anything about it. According to this guy, plan is to eventually replace Optimax. Of course we have been hearing this for a long time.

**FUJIMO** · 05-04-2016, 08:00 AM

Just the Verado's for now...

**josh7_78** · 05-04-2016, 08:14 AM

Originally Posted by ZO6

Local Mercury dealer told me today Merc is coming out with a new 200 and 250hp 4stroke built around the 150 non Verado model. Anyone able to confirm? Or know anything about it. According to this guy, plan is to eventually replace Optimax. Of course we have been hearing this for a long time.

Brunswick gave Mercury $160 mill to develop this engine(s). Projected to come out after Miami.

**Scream And Fly** · 05-04-2016, 08:23 AM

I'm getting more curious

**Bodhi** · 05-04-2016, 08:37 AM

If it gets reviews like the 150 got, they will be selling alot of these. Naturally aspirated engines in the salt environment keeps things simpler. Now, the part about dropping the opti. ...well that's just a poor decision should they choose to go through with it

**Onetime** · 05-04-2016, 08:44 AM

From what I've heard everything has to go to catalytic converters in 2018 and the Opti's can't meet it.
Could just be rumors though.

**josh7_78** · 05-04-2016, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Onetime

From what I've heard everything has to go to catalytic converters in 2018 and the Opti's can't meet it.
Could just be rumors though.

I thought the Opti's were compliant? I never asked about the smaller Opti's, but in the same conversation I had about the new four stroke, the larger Opti's weren't going anywhere via Mercury.

**Onetime** · 05-04-2016, 09:39 AM

Just speculating but I remember with cars the catalytic would get ruined if oil went through the them. The Opti's do have some oil residue in the exhaust so maybe that's why??

**H2OPERF** · 05-04-2016, 09:40 AM

A guy in the merc booth at Miami show told me only about 2 yrs left for their 2 strokes. would make sense to me, why in the world would you make 2 motors of the same hp group.

**wicheckmate** · 05-04-2016, 10:03 AM

Just as Evinrude has developed the G2, i would look for Mercury to do the same with the opti..........

**gotboostedvr6** · 05-04-2016, 10:43 AM

I spoke with the Mercury rep at the atlantic city boat show and was informed that optimax series will slowly be phased out.

**wicheckmate** · 05-04-2016, 10:55 AM

The CURRENT opti series yes....

**ZO6** · 05-04-2016, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by josh7_78

Brunswick gave Mercury $160 mill to develop this engine(s). Projected to come out after Miami.

Is this after Feb 2017?

**wicheckmate** · 05-04-2016, 12:13 PM

The CURRENT opti series yes....

**Michael J Giesler** · 05-04-2016, 12:50 PM

The funny part is in the early 90's Jimmy Hensley budget for the pro max was $50,000 and the profits from that motor was big time for $160 million that direct injection drag better have a 2 year warranty lol