Outboard engine manufacturers never sit still for long, and the 2025 Miami International Boat Show provided plenty of evidence. What’s hot and what’s new? Here are the cool goodies we saw.
The most surprising thing that came to light was Honda’s latest project. Teaming up with McLaren engineering, they tinkered with the ECU, fuel injectors, and camshaft of the V-6 BF250 platform. Net result? An additional 50 horsepower. The M300 McLaren won’t be available for repowers (for now) but will be offered on new boats being built and sold by Honda’s boatbuilding partners.
Another unexpected entry was Yamaha’s Helm Master EX Wireless Control. Using a joystick to control your boat is great, but why not have a portable one on a handheld remote? Not a problem, says Yamaha. The remote has a trigger on the front that lets you spin the boat, a joystick on top, and buttons for full control of features like DriftPoint and StayPoint. It also comes with a wireless man-overboard system. The captain and passengers have a key-fob and if someone unexpectedly exits the boat it will decelerate or shut down depending on the situation.
Mercury Marine announced some additions to their joystick controls, too, with a single-engine system. That means you can enjoy features like Skyhook, and the system can also incorporate thrusters for complete control.
Finally, Suzuki Marine didn’t introduce a new product, instead deciding to celebrate their 60th anniversary by noting that as of 2025 they’ve modernized their entire lineup of 2.5 to 350 horsepower outboards. Every engine they put in the field today includes the latest tech and the latest looks. They also reasserted their dedication to cleaning up our waterways with the Clean Ocean Project, Clean Up days, and microplastic filters in their outboards.
What will outboard manufacturers have for us in 2026? Stay tuned people, stay tuned.