New Honda V8 Engine Released For Boats

A Honda V8? Yes, you read that correctly. Honda has released its first ever commercially available V8 motor. And it has the legendary VTEC feature too. Albeit, the motor is for marine vehicles.

Previously, Honda made V8 engines for Formula 1 but never commercial versions for cars or boats.

This has changed with the Honda BF350, which is meant to power water vessels over 25 feet in length. But it’s not all about the boats, as one of the two color schemes available is called Grand Prix White, an obvious reference to Honda’s automotive achievements.

Performance Capabilities Of The Honda V8

A single BF350 outboard motor puts out 350 horsepower. Put two of these 5.0 liter V8s together on the back of your watercraft and you have a solid 700 hp. The motor weighs a solid 765 lbs.

Honda builds the BF350’s 30-degree offset crankshaft to the same specifications as the one in the Acura NSX.

The Honda BF350 also features VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control). Honda developed VTEC technology for their engines to enhance performance and efficiency by adjusting the timing and lift of the intake valves. A VTEC engine operates with two different camshaft profiles. One is used for low RPMs and a second camshaft profile for high RPMs. This enables the engine to deliver both smooth low-end torque and high-end power. Basically, you save gas when you are just cruising, but when you open up the throttle you get great power too.

Honda BF350 V8 Price

From Jalopnik:

“Pricing for the BF350 V8 will start at $45,299, and the outboard can be equipped with counter rotation for a small premium, bringing the cost to $45,799. Sales will start in early 2024. And that’s when you can brag to your buddies about VTEC kicking in as you cruise past the mid-powerband.” – Jalopnik.com

Could A Honda V8 For Cars & Trucks Be In The Works?

I sure hope so. But currently there is no news about a Honda V8 for cars. V8s actually seem to be a dying breed these days. Even trucks like the Toyota Tundra are dropping V8 configurations for Hybrid technology and V6s with turbochargers. It would be a super cool move by Honda to launch a V8 for automotive applications.

Read The Full Honda News Release