Facts about Marine Power Europe Outboard Engines
By Connie Motz, MarineFuel.com
Then
Mercury Marine has been manufacturing the Mercury outboard engine since 1939. In 1961, Mercury Marine amalgamated with Brunswick Corporation of Lake Forest, IL, and in 1971, Marine Power Europe was established in Liege, Belgium, as the European division of Mercury Marine USA. Subsequent Marine Power Europe divisions were established in France; Denmark; Netherlands; and Norway, while the name was changed to Marine Power Europe in 1981. Marine Power went on to expand to Sweden (1991), Italy (1993), and Switzerland (1995).
Now
Over 70 years later, Marine Power Europe, a division of Brunswick Marine of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), is the foremost manufacturer and distributor of both recreational and commercial outboard engines throughout EMEA and the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). In 2007, Brunswick Corporation (parent company of Brunswick Marine of EMEA) had reported sales of USD $5.67 billion with 19,760 employees worldwide as of July 2009. Marine Power Europe produces Mercury, Mercury MerCruiser, and Mariner outboard engines.
Customer Satisfaction
According to the 2009 Marine Engine Competitive Study produced by J.D. Powers and Associates, Mercury Marine ranked third in the Outboard Direct Injection (DI) two-stroke category as well as fourth in the Outboard Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) four-stroke category. Mercury Marine received 886 out of a possible 1,000 points and 878 out of a possible 1,000 point, respectively.
Makes & Models
Marine Power Europe manufactures three series of the Mercury outboard engine – Verado, OptiMax, and FourStrokes – ranging from 2.5-300 HP, all featuring the durability and reliability that a Mercury outboard engine provides. Mercury MerCruiser produces both Alpha and Bravo drives plus a series of stern drives ranging from 135 to 190 HP. Mariner models include the four-stroke Verado ranging from 135 to 300 HP; FourStroke series from 5 to 115 HP; and Optimax 115 and 225 HP outboard engines.
Parts & Manuals
Mercury, MerCruiser, and Mariner outboard engine operator and maintenance manuals can be accessed in PDF (Portable Document Format) through the ‘Download Center’ of the Brunswick Marine of EMEA website. Parts for Mercury, MerCruiser, and Mariner can be ordered through local Marine Power Europe dealers. The Brunswick Marine of EMEA website also offers a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and answers to topics that include electrical, fuel & fuel systems, general, OptiMax, parts, and winterization queries.
New for 2010
The most recent Marine Power Europe outboard engines to be released include the 70th anniversary two-stroke DFI (Direct Fuel Injection) Mercury 125 Optimax in September 2009; the catalyst version of an inboard MerCruiser Big Block engine (380 to 430 HP) was available January 1, 2010 with a non-catalyst version to be available mid-2010.
Dealer Locator
More than 3,300 Marine Power Europe dealers can easily be located by using the ‘find a dealer’ feature on the Brunswick Marine of EMEA website.
Sources:
Flickr.com Photo Credit: Mercury MerCruiser engine by ScaryComputer
Brunswick Marine of EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa)
Marine Power