Mercury Racing’s new 500-hp outboard engine is now a reality. The long-awaited supercharged V8 engine has been released and it packs a punch. Instead of opting for the V10 that powers the majority of Mercury engines, the high-performance marine propulsion and accessories company chose to push the limits and created the 4.6-liter V-8, 500R outboard engine. Continue reading to learn more about this brute of an engine.
“When we did the 450R in 2019, we knew there was more power and potential to get there,” Broman explained. “But what would it take? What we liked about the V-8 is that it is a compact, lightweight platform. It has the best power-to-weight ratio out there and with the 500 we just raised the bar again. But we also knew we had to create a new drive and make some structural changes. We started the 500R project about a year after we released the 450R knowing that the 500R would be the next evolution for that platform.”
Depending on its configuration, the 500R tips the scales at 720 pounds and change. With supercharging hardware added, Broman estimated that a V-10 version would weigh “well over” 800 pounds. (Worth noting? The V-10 engine development program was happening in parallel with the V-8 program.)
Broman and his team broke down development of the 500R into a few distinct pieces, he said, starting of course with making more power from the V-8 foundation.
“We went with the tried-and-true method of getting more air-flow into the engine—it’s all about managing air-flow and making it more efficient,” he said. “That’s really where the extra power comes from. It’s fairly straight forward.”
The supercharger boost pressure of the 500R is increased by 26 percent compared to the 450R model, according to a press release from Mercury Racing. To accommodate increased airflow demand, the 500R features a new attenuator with a larger intake. Throttle body diameter is increased by 15 percent from 80mm to 92mm, and the shape of the supercharger inlet is redesigned to improve flow. The charge air cooler fin density and flow pattern are optimized to improve efficiency.
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Original article published on speedonthewater.com