New Suzy

New Suzy

Enlarge Photo

Suzuki took the wraps off the latest iteration of its 300 hp flagship outboard at the 2012 Miami International Boat Show this week, and I tested it in a twin-engine application.

The new DF300A offers a number of improvements over it predecessor. Most notable is a radically redesigned lower unit. Standard on all 300A models, the new lower unit is bigger, yet more hydrodynamic than the previous gear case, according to Suzuki.

The larger size allows for beefier gears for both forward and reverse, while a sleeker nosecone helps reduce drag – both increasingly necessary for today’s heavier high-performance saltwater fishing boats with multiple outboards.

Suzuki also put two-way water inlets farther forward on each side of the lower unit, allowing for a greater trim angle without starving the engine of cooling water.

The DF300A also has "Suzuki Selective Rotation", a feature the company previewed last year at Miami. With this, a right-hand rotation engine can be converted to left-hand (aka counter) rotation by simply connecting an electronic coupler under the engine cowl and, of course, using a left-hand prop. This essentially runs the lower unit in reverse. The reverse gear is just as robust as the forward gear.

Suzuki’s new DF300A also features the Suzuki Lean Burn Control system for improved fuel efficiency, variable valve timing for greater low- and mid-range torque and Suzuki’s Precison Control electronic throttle and shift.

Stay tuned for complete test data on the new Suzuki DF300A on Boatingmag.com and in the pages of Boating magazine.