Mercury Marine Pro XS: A Simple Improvement For the Popular Line of Engines

There is no doubt that the Mercury Marine transition to four stroke engines was done with great execution and the complete platform shift to the 3.4L V6 and 4.6L V8 outboards was the most dramatic, covering 175 HP to 450 HP. What is interesting is the 150 four stroke was really the test for the new large displacement philosophy from Mercury Marine, the proof of concept worked. From there, the development direction was informed. But, in the current lineup, there is a little bit of confusion and a small change Mercury could make to simplify the model range, add value and be more competitive. The issue is with the Pro XS lineup. 

When it comes to performance bass boats, sport boats and bay boats, the long running Pro XS line of engines injects just enough performance improvements to make most consumers happy. They are great engines overall, slightly higher RPM range, the bullet proof Torque Master style gearcase and sometimes stiffer mounts. Priced only slightly above the main line of engines, the Pro XS line was born out of bridging the gap between the hardcore Mercury Racing engines and the consumer looking for a longer warranty on a fast boat. 

Originally, the 225 XS and 250 XS from Racing were equipped with Sport Master gearcases and were among the first Optimax engines from Racing. Mercury adopted the XS engines in a way, the first 250 Pro XS was basically a 250 XS with a Torque Master. Those horsepower ranges are perfect for bass tournament boats and family performance boats. Later, the 175 Pro XS and 150 Pro XS Optimax were added, their success meant it was a no brainer to adopt the same formula to the new four stroke platform. 

The more compact and lighter V6 is a more suitable 200 and 225 engine and would improve the Pro XS lineup.

Now consumers can get the Pro XS engines from 115 to 300 HP but, the confusion starts at 200 HP. The 200 HP from Mercury comes as a 3.4 V6 and the Pro XS version is the 4.6 V8, making for a really powerful albeit heavy 200 HP outboard. Also, this means there are several SKU’s in the 200 range because the 200 Pro XS is offered with a 4.8” (1.85) gear case or Torque Master (1.75). 

To me, this cannibalizes the V6 200 unnecessarily and does a disservice to the 200 HP crowd. 200 HP is a limit for many 18 to 20 foot hulls and in that size range, weight and balance are critical; why not take advantage of the V6 and offer it as a 200 Pro XS, higher RPM, with the Torque Master instead of the V8? Why have two different engines all together in the same range? 

I would further simplify by offering the 225 HP Pro XS in the V6 as well. This would accomplish a few things. First, customer confusion. Some customers are confused enough by the Pro XS line, why make it worse with different configurations when you could make the Pro XS identifiable by the gear case and other options on the same platform. From a sales perspective this is much simpler. And, I would imagine Mercury's margin would be better with a V6 Pro XS, they already make the V6 up to 225 HP as a non Pro XS. 

The Stately V8 Pro XS as a 200 or 225 is the same size and weight as the 300 HP version.

On a light boat, the 30 Lbs weight advantage is enough to make a difference, and the lower center of gravity is a benefit too. For smaller bass boats and sport boats this would be a better application and further differentiate the 250 V8. Currently, the V6 175 Pro XS is a nice engine and yet it is the only V6 Pro XS offered. 

If the V6 Pro XS 200 and 225 were really hot, 6,200 RPM range, Torque Master and stiff mounts, the need for Racing to adopt the V6 might be eliminated. Many would repower their high performance boats with a nice light 225 HP V6 over the heavier and costlier V8 offerings. If needed, they could always add a nose cone for surface running applications. I’ve covered before how great a Racing V6 would be in 225 or even 250 form would be. 

You know this must have been discussed at length in development. Ultimately, Mercury wanted to have displacement bragging rights going head to head with the Yamaha SHO. HP is just one component, torque is critical but as anyone can attest, the V6 four stroke is a very powerful engine. 

The V6 and V8 share the same design architecture and share many parts. The V6 seems underutilized to me and making the V6 in a 200 and 225 HP in a Pro XS version seems like the perfect lineup adjustment.

A simplified product offering, clear benefits in weight, size and price make the case for a 200 and 225 HP Pro XS as a V6. This is a better marketing strategy. On top of that, it is more efficient from a manufacturing perspective. I think this would really make Mercury more competitive in the 200 and 225 HP offering. A primary consideration in that HP range is weight, why not take advantage of the V6.