any new rumors on 300hp Optimax?

[The Big Al]

Attendees at the Miami Boat Show are going to see some, most, or all of the following:


MERCURY:
--the announcement of the end of the OptiMax! This tarnished brand has cost Mercury millions in warranty coverage. It is heading into the sunset. Eliminating two-stroke engines will clarify Mercury's message, too.
--the introduction of new four-stroke outboards in 75, 90, and 115-HP, which will not be called VERADO models, but WILL HAVE DIGITAL THROTTLE AND SHIFT CONTROLS! Mercury is going to move to DTS controls across their outboard line. The "game-changing"--George Buckley's favorite phrase--DTS technology they pioneered two years ago on the VERADO will be featured on these new four-stroke motors. This will be another good move because it will again cut out any third party suppliers. You will have to get OEM shift and throttle controls and cables for your Mercury, no choices allowed. Mercury gets more of the boat deal dollar. And, along with SmartCraft, DTS will give the new four-stroke motors a significant set of features which will differentiate them from the many competing four-strokes already on the market.
--these new motors will also introduce a new product brand name to replace the generic "Four-stroke" badge they are now using on their non-Verado four-stroke motors. The name will probably be about six letters long, it will not be a recognized word in English, Spanish, or other major languages, it will have some sort of appealing sense or sound to it, it will not be already associated with another product, and it will be eligible for registration as an internet domain name. An example is "verado" itself, which fit these requirements exactly. Thus, expect something like "serato." Look for the new brand name to be along those lines. Sorry, no leaks here. This new name will be hush-hush right until they pull the covers off the new motors.
--on the new motors with the new DTS and the new brand name, there will be new cowlings which will be re-styled from their current totally drab, all black, generic look-alike presentation into something much more stylish. The new brand name will be very prominent on the cowlings. You won't have to lean around the motor and peer carefully at the small print on the front to discover what model it is (like you currently have to do with Mercury motors to see if they are OptiMax or Four-Stroke). The cowlings will probably remain primarily black but have more metallic gray elements and fancier medallions, much like the Verado.
--a new television and multi-media advertising campaign based on the theme THE FUTURE OF BOATING, somewhat akin to the fantastically successful Evinrude Infomercial that has been showing non-stop for a year on broadcast and cable television. The campaign will stress the special integration of boat, engine, and accessories made possible by the vertical integration of Brunswick, and it will be chocked full of brand names--there is no shortage of those at Brunswick.
--the campaign will be targeted especially to non-boaters, particularly people in the JONESES GENERATION. The Joneses are adults between the Baby Boomers and the Gen-X'ers, or adults ages 38-49. There is a very significant number of people in this age group--about one-fourth of all adults in America--who have been growing up in the shadow of the baby boomers and are now poised to establish themselves. They have discretionary income and are ready now to spend it for their own pleasure and entertainment. Brunswick needs to get the JONESES into boating and to sell them a Brunswick Boat Group boat with a Mercury Marine motor with Mercury Marine Financing.
If Mercury does not do ALL of this, they will have missed the boat, or they need to hire better marketing consultants (I am available). However, I think you will see probably all of this just as I have described above. --also, higher horsepower Verado motors--finally. This will be important for the bigger offshore market, where the cost (and weight) of triple engines was getting to be an obstacle. Boats with twin 300-HP Verado engines will be on display.

[150aintenuff]

to bad howard pipcorn didnt patent the name VERADO.. god knows how much that would have cost merc in copyright infringement alone.. and as i posted before if merc does what you are saying Al.. ( i have my doubts...) i wont give them another dime.. my family is already movin to the blue grey motors as it is. known debuts are definatly the 75-115 line that was made public a while ago due to the motor dumping suit and thefact that YAMAHA builds their powerheads for them in that HP range.. so that a no brainer.. the graphics are blaw blaw for 06... 07 better bring some changes of some sort a little grey and or red reminicent of say the 1989-92 motors wouldnt necessarily be a bad thing either.. as would a reduction in size and weight of the current engines exterior dimensions to fit into the existing 2.5L and 3.0L STD cowls not the poptimax cowls and a revamp of the verados looks wouldnt hurt either.. and they best have something to compete with yamaha in the 300+ hp range.. as well..


the dropping of the 2 stroke line we will see.... doubt it.. but its been rumored since the EPA started the countdown to emmissions control requirements. that merc would go all 4 stroke... tobad they cant build one on their own that looks and runs as good as the 2 strokes of same power.. (same speed, acceleration and weight) thursday will be interesting for sure..

[Scream And Fly]

The OptiMax is not dead - quite the contrary. Oh, you'll see...

[150aintenuff]

wouldnt it be intreresting if the racing division rereleased the EFI and Carb motors under racing use only........ now that would be something to talk about...

[Scream And Fly]

Race EFI powerheads are still available, and will be for a long time.

[150aintenuff]

i wasa talking the smaller V6's like the 150-225 range... promax 225x.. 150 promax ect... those motors..

[Scream And Fly]

All of your questions will be answered in a few days.

[1BadAction]

Attendees at the Miami Boat Show are going to see some, most, or all of the following:


MERCURY:
--the announcement of the end of the OptiMax! This tarnished brand has cost Mercury millions in warranty coverage. It is heading into the sunset. Eliminating two-stroke engines will clarify Mercury's message, too.
--the introduction of new four-stroke outboards in 75, 90, and 115-HP, which will not be called VERADO models, but WILL HAVE DIGITAL THROTTLE AND SHIFT CONTROLS! Mercury is going to move to DTS controls across their outboard line. The "game-changing"--George Buckley's favorite phrase--DTS technology they pioneered two years ago on the VERADO will be featured on these new four-stroke motors. This will be another good move because it will again cut out any third party suppliers. You will have to get OEM shift and throttle controls and cables for your Mercury, no choices allowed. Mercury gets more of the boat deal dollar. And, along with SmartCraft, DTS will give the new four-stroke motors a significant set of features which will differentiate them from the many competing four-strokes already on the market.
--these new motors will also introduce a new product brand name to replace the generic "Four-stroke" badge they are now using on their non-Verado four-stroke motors. The name will probably be about six letters long, it will not be a recognized word in English, Spanish, or other major languages, it will have some sort of appealing sense or sound to it, it will not be already associated with another product, and it will be eligible for registration as an internet domain name. An example is "verado" itself, which fit these requirements exactly. Thus, expect something like "serato." Look for the new brand name to be along those lines. Sorry, no leaks here. This new name will be hush-hush right until they pull the covers off the new motors.
--on the new motors with the new DTS and the new brand name, there will be new cowlings which will be re-styled from their current totally drab, all black, generic look-alike presentation into something much more stylish. The new brand name will be very prominent on the cowlings. You won't have to lean around the motor and peer carefully at the small print on the front to discover what model it is (like you currently have to do with Mercury motors to see if they are OptiMax or Four-Stroke). The cowlings will probably remain primarily black but have more metallic gray elements and fancier medallions, much like the Verado.
--a new television and multi-media advertising campaign based on the theme THE FUTURE OF BOATING, somewhat akin to the fantastically successful Evinrude Infomercial that has been showing non-stop for a year on broadcast and cable television. The campaign will stress the special integration of boat, engine, and accessories made possible by the vertical integration of Brunswick, and it will be chocked full of brand names--there is no shortage of those at Brunswick.
--the campaign will be targeted especially to non-boaters, particularly people in the JONESES GENERATION. The Joneses are adults between the Baby Boomers and the Gen-X'ers, or adults ages 38-49. There is a very significant number of people in this age group--about one-fourth of all adults in America--who have been growing up in the shadow of the baby boomers and are now poised to establish themselves. They have discretionary income and are ready now to spend it for their own pleasure and entertainment. Brunswick needs to get the JONESES into boating and to sell them a Brunswick Boat Group boat with a Mercury Marine motor with Mercury Marine Financing.
If Mercury does not do ALL of this, they will have missed the boat, or they need to hire better marketing consultants (I am available). However, I think you will see probably all of this just as I have described above. --also, higher horsepower Verado motors--finally. This will be important for the bigger offshore market, where the cost (and weight) of triple engines was getting to be an obstacle. Boats with twin 300-HP Verado engines will be on display.

where did you get that bullchit from? one of those etec masturbatory posts that have gone on lately? the day merc switches from phantom black to anything else is the day I drop my flag. they arent OMC with their 50 different colors LMAO, "black metallic satin"

yea yea, to pre-empt nick telling me about the engines that were on the sea rays, I know. it was all sea-rays fault!

[rsess]

That whole commentary was cut and pasted from the Classic Whaler Forum/conutinuous wave. I think you should have revealed your source.

[sho305]

Not much of that sounds too smart from a business perspective. If they can't replace the supposedly dead Opti with something comparable people will buy elsewhere, and I don't see them doing that. And putting fancy controls on a 75hp is going to cost money...with the price of motors just who is going to pay more for a 75hp? It would be cool and all, but if you want to expand marketshare that is going to make it real difficult. Otherwise everyone will be buying CHINAtos brand motors, you know the motors that cost less than a new car with equal HP does.

And there aint no way the boomers are going to give up and leave all the sudden, that is not going to happen like some love to tell you.

[blkmtrfan]

The piece is just one man's opinion (Jim H the moderator of continuous wave) who is obviously pro 4 stroke

[sho305]

I see, a 4-stroke hugger. People make things better every day, but then again I was also told the world would end on Y2K...and I'm still here.

[fastercat]

you still can get new merc 2.5-260 and 280 powerheads they have a ton of them. i know i just got a new one .as for the end of two stroke i do not see that at all.only 4 stroke i wood have small fishing motor but that is just my opin it is like a holes every one has one

[150aintenuff]

Jim... Merc was white and other colors LONG before searay painted them in the late 80's and early 90's....... anything PRE 1964 was white, grey or multyiple colors..... I PERSONALLY own a cloud white and black merc 400 on my seaswirl runabout and its TOTALLY stock with exception to the lower unit which is black..

[150aintenuff]

also powerheads are 1 thing but what about a complete ROS 280 me thinks not..