The new Neander Dtorque motor promises super-low fuel consumption, ‘little more than 10-12 litres per hour at full throttle,’ in fact
The political tide may be turning against diesel car engines (driven by those self-same politicians that campaigned and cajoled us so hard to buy into diesel a few years ago), but while the automotive tide is turning, there’s no question that in all but smaller boats, the case for diesel is still extremely compelling.
Torque-rich, long-legged, economical, reliable diesel engines use a less volatile fuel that is far more freely available in a marine environment and much cheaper.
However, diesel boats are more expensive to buy, and it is that cost issue that we must address first, because the new Neander Dtorque diesel outboard from Germany is not a cheap alternative to a petrol engine. But if price is not your priority, read on, because once over that stumbling block, these engines have much to commend them.
The 0.8-litre twin-cylinder powerhead runs common rail fuel injection and has a dual counter-rotating crankshaft design to improve economy and reduce vibration and noise levels. Total power is a reliable but unspectacular 50hp, the headline news is reserved for the torque figure – 111nm at just 2,000rpm meaning that it should make light work of pushing a heavy boat on to the plane.
Lifespan is also impressive, at ‘well over 10,000 hours.’ But the big news is of course fuel consumption. Even flat out, the manufacturer reckons the Dtorque will consume ‘little more than 10-12 litres per hour at full throttle,’ a fraction of what typical mid-range petrol outboard engines are burning under similar circumstances.
Marketed by Yanmar (which had its own range of small diesel outboards until 2008), giving access to 5,000 service centres across 130 countries, servicing and repair shouldn’t be an issue either. €30,000.
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