BRP just discontinued all E-TECS

**FMP** · 05-28-2020, 08:40 AM

650 employees in Wisconsin.

BRP just received a $600M loan two weeks ago, economic conditions. Good cash on hand!

**Instigator** · 05-28-2020, 08:44 AM

Seeing that the G-2s were what they were donating, and their sales dropped started after the initial, dismal public reception of them, was all I needed to see.

As to the dealers being left in the cold, this is the second time for some of them.
My favorite one became a Yammi dealer after the first time.

**282** · 05-28-2020, 08:46 AM

Plus boat sales are supposed to be way up?? I would think that’s a good thing for them.

**36Tango** · 05-28-2020, 08:54 AM

I believe that they did a horrible, horrible job in marketing the new generation 2 strokes, along with all of the benefits of them. You can have a good product, but when it is kept a secret, nobody even looks. 99% of the population looking for an outboard boat today will say, "it is a 4 stroke, right?"

**David - WI** · 05-28-2020, 09:01 AM

This news is all about "outboards"... are they going ahead with their "ghost drive" or is the whole boat motor line dead?

**FMP** · 05-28-2020, 09:04 AM

It's been the worst marketing and lack of image period! When they made SeaDoo boat they stuffed Opti jets or rotax in them when they should have been putting the world's best outboards on them.

Not enough family oriented or any marketing to show off the lineup through the years.

Like it was set up for failure by internal disagreement within the board.

The Evinrude lineup could still be a significant market segment if they could also provide the hulls to match and shake the corporate attitude which has hindered progress. The Evinrude brand needs new dedicated ownership in whole or in part which isn't interested in failure as a consequence of highest profitably as top priority. You know who you are, you crooks.

**InjectorService** · 05-28-2020, 09:09 AM

I used to buy, sell, rebuild, trade used outboards (not high perf stuff, just regular "joe blow" stuff) and let me tell you, it doesn't matter if its an eTec, Optimax or any other 2 stroke, if you say those magic words they just about hang up the phone on you. I seriously think that if they had made SOME effort to put out a 4-stroke they would have made it. You just can't jam something down someone's throat that they don't want.

Personally, I didn't really mind them, everything has their quirks or issues. My biggest greif with them is the price of parts. Have a voltage regulator go out? No problem! Just bolt on a $5000 EMM and off you go!

Around here, Alumacraft was one of the, if not the best selling boat around. Right around the time they got bought out, the existing dealer went out of business, and the line went to the BRP dealer next door. Now you almost hear nothing about them, people refuse to buy them with eTecs on the back.

EDIT: That is also a ton of new transoms for Mercury, it looks to me like they will be the #1 selling outboard motor (again) in the years to come! (and yes I said that, the numbers don't lie)

EDIT EDIT:

Originally Posted by David - WI

This news is all about "outboards"... are they going ahead with their "ghost drive" or is the whole boat motor line dead?

Lets hope not, I think we all know that thing was/is destined for failure anyways.

**FMP** · 05-28-2020, 09:21 AM

Yes they should call them Evinrude Clean Stroke and aggressively promote the efficiency. Problem is the general public isn't keen enough to want to understand and if you get over their heads in technical. It's all in a proper simple clean approach to marketing , clean stroke.

**LakeFever** · 05-28-2020, 09:22 AM

The etec sleds getting better mileage than most of the four strokes and are emission compliant. Educating consumers is a HUGE task and sled guys tend to do their own because that market is filled with tech/power mad types who research and test everything anyways. Boat people tend to buy a boat and hang onto it for ten+ years and in that realm? Quiet and good mileage/clean emissions are ruling the decision factors for most people living or cottaging on lakes. For BRP to market and educate the consumers that they can meet and exceed these expectations with their motors would have been very very costly and maybe they didnt see the win? They dominate the sled market and have many other things going on. The Beudoin family who created BRP after ditching the aircraft and train divisions off of Bombardier was a WISE move for them financially look at whats happened to Bombardier air and train. For the OB crowd this a kick in the nards but its probably a good read on their future strategy and I hope they keep building good products.

I hope the brand gets picked up as earlier comments and put back into focus.

**InjectorService** · 05-28-2020, 09:43 AM

As far as the brand being picked up, what's there to grab? They won't let their eTec technology go, as they are still using it in other products. So after that there's what, a name? Small customer database? Then where will they get dealers from, it will be a completely different setup and agreement from anything that exists today.

IF anyone would buy anything they would literally be starting from nothing anyways, so why bother, theres nothing to buy.

**FMP** · 05-28-2020, 09:43 AM

No it's not a four stroke. It's better, it's a Clean Stroke and it's by Evinrude!

Clean and simple, visit your friendly Evinrude showroom today for all the details.

**David** · 05-28-2020, 10:00 AM

I bought all the dead end stuff new
150 HO Gen 1 Etec on our J Craft ski boat
200 XS ROS on my Allison SS2000

Both are great engines. The XS has the sport master gear case and solid mounts. The Etec is a lot easier to maintain. There were good reasons to buy each

**powerabout** · 05-28-2020, 10:13 AM

I had a marina manager say to me about Evinrude, they are gone right so there aren't any 2 stokes these days.
Meaning in 2000

**rjdubiel** · 05-28-2020, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by FMP

650 employees in Wisconsin.

BRP just received a $600M loan two weeks ago, economic conditions. Good cash on hand!

At work we move lots of side by sides for BRP. They asked us to delay / change payment terms on our invoices to BRP. Then they got this loan and did not need to change payment terms anymore. All about cash flow.

**HP MACHINE** · 05-28-2020, 10:36 AM

F1 car racing is going back to 2 stroke by 2025 . Alex was at a convention in Paris last fall and there was more 2 stroke development
than 4 stroke being displayed , some really trick stuff .
I see a complete line of Mercury / ETEC developed high performance & racing outboards coming down the pipe .
Mercury is the only company with the capabilities ( dealer network and technical ) to accomplish this .
It's going to be interesting !