Honda Marine just unveiled its most powerful outboard yet, a 350-hp V8, the company’s first V8 ever.
The sleek new BF350 represents a big step up for Honda; the previous outboard flagship was a 250-hp model. The new 350 is aimed at boats in the 25-foot plus range, and Honda says it’s appropriate for single, twin, triple or quad applications. It weighs 765 to 776 pounds, depending on shaft length.
Honda says the new outboard provides smoother power throughout the operating range, improved ergonomics, and it’s 17 percent more fuel efficient at cruising speeds than its competitors. It also operates on regular 86 octane fuel.
The BF350 has an interesting feature: the trim operates automatically, based on engine and boat speed, relying on preset ranges. It has automatic tilt and an idle charging system; at idle the engine automatically increases by 100 rpm to produce 9 more amps to charge devices on board and keep the battery from draining.
It also borrows from Honda’s automotive technology. The BF350 crankshaft uses the same alloy and strength specs as those in the Acura NSX high-performance supercar.
For theft prevention, it has a immobilizer ignition system that requires a remote transponder key to start the engine. The engine cannot be started without the owner’s smart key. If anyone tries to start the engine without the smart key, the immobilizer disables the engine.
The new BF350 will be available early next year. It comes with a five-year factory warranty, and is offered in two colors – Aquamarine Silver and Grand Prix White.
Read more at http://hondamarine.com and see the video below:
