Mercury Racing has released its fastest and most powerful engines ever -- nine litre, twin turbo, quad cam V8's that produce 1300hp and 1350hp at their 6500rpm redline.

The two engines were designed in-house, from prop to block, by Mercury Racing. They are not warmed over truck engines.

Guy Williamson, Mercury's director of service and quality, reckon the engines are breath-taking. He says they are so powerful that Mercury Marine had to create a new sterndrive unit, hydraulic transmission and propellers to ensure the enormous power gets to the water.

The new drive package is stronger than ever and can cope with 35 per cent more power than Mercury's legendary No. 6 drive.

The development engines have also managed to incorporate a pulse tuned exhaust system, the first for a four-stroke, that will give racers instant power across the engines' rev range. The power difference between the two engines is in the airflow. The 1300hp takes ambient air from the engine room like most sterndrives but the 1350hp takes cooler outside air through a direct air induction system -- an innovation that gives it the extra 50hp.

Mercury's newly designed Zero Effort Digital Control makes taming these monsters easy. A microprocessor provides seemless integration of the throttle and shift controls.

Despite the massive power, Mercury says the engines provide 20-30 per cent greater fuel economy over similar motors because of their common rail port injection and four valve delivery.

The engines not only perform but they also look terrific. All the necessary wires and tubes have been hidden beneath customised carbon fibre covers that come in ten colours. Like all Mercury Racing engines, the 1300 and the 1350 come with a one year racing warranty.

"The engines have been designed to go faster, be stronger, go further and last longer than any comparable engine," Williamson says, "They tick every box."

Check out Mercury Racing.com for more detailed engine specifications.