Mercury Racing has released its fastest and most powerful engines to date

It’s a watershed in marine engine development, with Mercury Racing releasing its fastest, most powerful engines ever – the 1300 and 1350.

These nine litre, twin turbo, quad cam V8s redline at 6500 rpm to provide extreme propulsion but with the control you’d expect in a luxury car.

“The engines are breath-taking,” said Guy Williamson, Mercury’s Director of Service and Quality.  “And they have been designed in-house – from block to prop – as the result of Mercury Racing’s 70 years of experience. These are not warmed over truck motors.”

In fact, both engines are so powerful Mercury Marine has had to create a new sterndrive unit, hydraulic transmission and propellers to ensure that power gets to the water.

This new super-efficient drive package is stronger all round, and can cope with 35% more power than Mercury Marine’s legendary No. 6 drive.

With the 1300 and 1350 Mercury Racing’s engineers have also managed to incorporate a pulse tuned exhaust system – the first time ever in a FourStroke – meaning racers will get instant power across the rev range. 

The power difference between the two engines comes down to how they breathe. The 1300 breathes ambient air from the engine room like most sterndrives but the 1350 breathes cooler outside air through a direct air induction system giving it that extra 50 hp boost.

But with power you want control. The newly designed Zero Effort Digital Control makes throttling effortless and a Propulsion Control Module microprocessor – the brain behind the engine’s brawn – provides seamless integration. Mercury Racing’s “smart” technology, including SmartCraft® Digital Throttle & Shift and the Engine Guardian® System, further ensure drivers are in complete command.

Durability is certainly no issue either. Features like NiCom®-coated cylinder bores to improve heat transfer and an active anode to enhance corrosion resistance help increase the engines’ overall lifespan by up to 100%!

Green too

Unbelievably, given all this power, these engines are also green, providing 20-30% greater fuel economy thanks to their common rail port injection and four-valve delivery. Of course, reduced fuel burn converts to lower running costs as well.

These engines not only perform – they look great. For the first time Mercury Racing has hidden the necessary wires and tubes beneath customisable carbon fibre covers which are available in 10 great colours.

“The engines have been designed to go faster, be stronger, go further and last longer than any comparable engine,” Guy said. “They tick every box, they are brilliant.”

Like all Mercury Racing engines, the new 1300 and 1350 come with a one year racing warranty.