Evinrude G2
The cleanest, sleekest outboard engine on the market
In the 1960s and 70s, all motorbikes looked exactly the same – black, wirespoked wheels, an oval fuel tank over the engine and a flat seat above the back wheel. An owner could tell the difference, but only in the way that you can recognise your labrador while they all look the same to the rest of us. Then in 1980, Suzuki brought out the Katana. With its metallic-silver finish, sculptured tank and seat, plastic side panels and alloy wheels, it single-handedly revolutionised bike design – indeed, it invented the concept of bike design! It looked like a Star Wars prop and made potential organ donors the world over go weak at the knees.
Evinrude have done exactly the same to outboard engine design. Until now, take the badge off any outboard and you’d be hard pressed to tell who made it. There is no mistaking the new G2 range however – if Darth Vader has a speedboat, you can bet it’s powered by one of these. They look amazing – funky, sleek, genuinely different and a real game changer. Peel the badges off and even your labrador will know it’s an Evinrude.
All of which would be worth precisely nothing if what is under the hood isn’t a similar step into the future. Fortunately, it’s not just Evinrude’s design department that’s been busy…
Now available in the more popular 150-200hp range (previously only high-output 200-300hp versions were available), Evinrude has just released 150hp, 150hp H.O, 175hp and 200hp versions in a bid to make this engine available to Mr Everyman. Like their larger siblings, Evinrude is claiming the ‘cleanest outboard engine combustion technology available’ from these new E-tec two-stroke motors. To put some figures to the hyperbole, it claims 30% more torque, 15% better fuel efficiency and up to 75% fewer total regulated emissions compared to leading fourstroke engines – based, admittedly, on its own internal tests. Power steering systems have been integrated within the engine helping the superclean profile, there is ‘push-button automatic winterisation,’ no runningin period and the whole shebang is covered by a five-year warranty with, even more amazingly, no dealer-scheduled maintenance required over that half decade!
But for all the looks and technology, perhaps my favourite feature is the online colour configurator. Design your own colour scheme by choosing between five colours for the side panels, another five for the top panel and then five more for the accent stripes. It alters the image as you select, and you can even rotate it! I make that 125 separate choices available – sure beats the ‘white or black’ options that were considered a major advancement a few years ago. (I eventually opted for blue side panels, a red top panel and teal accents – closely followed by wondering where my afternoon had gone.) From £15,639 inc VAT.
Contact www.evinrude.com