Yamaha’s 5.6L V-8 425 XTO brings to market several four-stroke firsts — from direct injection to electric power steering. Yamaha says its engineers rethought the outboard from the prop up to propel today’s large center-consoles and expresses. Highlights include the highest compression ratio in an outboard at 12.2-to-1, a new oversize prop, an oversize gear case, iridium spark plugs, quad thermostats, and a new exhaust-gas relief system that energizes the XTO in reverse, generating up to 300 percent more thrust than the company’s F350. Available in gray, white or unpainted (for color customization), and in 25-, 30- and 35-inch shafts (weighing 952 to 999 pounds), the XTO starts at $44,000.
