When you think about engines by MTU, you generally think about bigger yachts. The 16-cylinder Series 2000 M96 is often installed on yachts from about 70 to 130 feet length overall, but on smaller models, the manufacturer hasn’t had an option for U.S.-flagged yachts in several years.
That will change for 2017, when MTU expects to begin delivering its 10-cylinder Series 2000 M96 — fully in line with Tier 3 environmental regulations here in the United States and designed for yachts 55 to 70 feet length overall.
The MTU 10V 2000 M96 has all the features of the 12- and 16-cylinder versions. Owners of midrange yachts can expect to see what larger builds do: improved acceleration, fuel economy, minimal smoke and surprising decibel readings, says Andrew Boyer, marine sales manager for MTU.
“One of the biggest benefits that I see with the engine, and I think it’s one that kind of goes unnoticed until you experience it firsthand, is how quiet this engine is,” Boyer says. “You can be at a cruising speed and carry on a conversation. You’re not yelling at the person you’re speaking with. We’ve gone out on some sea trials, and customers have asked, ‘When are you going to start the mains?’ And they’re on. The gensets on some boats make more noise than the engine at idle. It’s installation-specific, but it’s one of the big benefits.”
“It’s raising the bar. … it’s like Mercedes coming out with a more affordable car. They don’t play in that market very often, so people are excited.”
Bob Shomo
Bob Shomo Jr., vice president of marine sales at Johnson & Towers, an MTU distributor in New Jersey, says owners also can expect a far more pleasant view at their transom.
“It does not smoke at all. No matter what fishing maneuver you do, it will not smoke at all, which is a really amazing thing in this industry,” he says. “That’s perceived as a normal thing, that smoke, but what MTU did was they designed the fueling and the cooling, the fuel burn — they optimized it so there is no unburned fuel, which makes the black smoke. The engine itself performs without smoking, and it’s smooth, and it’s quiet. There’s nobody in the industry that has that package.”
Boyer says MTU expects sport-fish and motoryacht owners in the 55- to 70-foot size range to spec the 10-cylinder on their new builds and refits alike, most likely at a 1,500 or 1,600 hp rating. The engine also will be available at a 1,360 hp rating.
“It’s raising the bar,” Shomo says. “MTU is a premium product. It’s like Mercedes coming out with a more affordable car. They don’t play in that [smaller-LOA] market very often, so people are excited.”
Look for the MTU 10V 2000 M96 engines to start arriving on U.S. waters around summertime.
