I checked into Merc's 850SC cost. Dealer is about 67K so you can expect to pay over 70K-80K and that's without the dry six drive you will need. Honestly what are they smoking? Just think of the motor you can build for 70K. Yes I know Merc's motors have quite a bit of R&D, but there not worth double the going rate.

Jobber cost from GM dealer on a 720hp motor is 17,000.

You could have several spares sitting around so what good is the short warranty?

They should have:
1) saved the R&D money
2) kept the old 572 based motor
3) Built it on the new GM shortblock
4) Sold it for around $20K
then:
5) Saved all the R&D on the bravo based drives
6) Kept offering the SSM IIa and V drive packages

But that might make boating less expensive and much more reliable. But it would put all the Bravo aftermarket companies, ie, IMCO, etc. out of business.
Gary

I agree with you guys, those prices are insane. Just my personal opinion, but all the computer controlled engine management systems are great-when they work, but cost big bucks for the diagnostic tools and relacement parts. I know I'm set in my ways, but I'll take a bunch of Holley's any day! Just for yucks, I was on some engine builder web sites yesterday. For example, the Chief site still shows all the internal components for their offerings together with very reasonable pricing. Chief also has quite a few EFI's. Zul, Pfaff,etc are also very reasonable. For what it's worth...Lou

I'm glad I am a motor head and build my own motors. I think allot of people think mercury waves a magic wand and the parts for these motors magically appear. I have news for ya, the parts in these motors are the same ones you can get out of summit or any other performance parts catalog.

Why does the first picture in the Josh Hays cuildup show a boat ideling in the middle of the lake with no one in it?

wooowwww that baby is running high rpm's on the Dino i hope mine does that also in the boat.

70k? thats crazy, sonny leonard has 555ci,700hp for 15k ill take 4,that would last me a little while. :

Just saw a pair of those new Merc 850's at the Skater plant yesterday. They were sitting in a 32' Skater. The plant manager told us that the boat goes from 0-100mph in no more than ten seconds. He said the boat will be featured in one of the performance boating magazines here within about the next FOUR months or so. It was the first time I have seen the new Merc 850's. It has a distributorless ignition system and the induction system looks like something out of Star Wars. Actually, with how the dual breathers are swept back and all, the whole induction system reminded me of the look of the head of the creature's in the movie Aliens.

I think the price they're charging is going to "alienate" some people too---especially at $70-80k per copy. Man, that's a lot of smack to be laying down for one engine---yikes!