News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 21, 2001

Yamaha Introduces World's First Four-Stroke Watercraft

MEDIA CONTACT:
Bob Gonsalves / Kari Miyamoto
ICBM Communications
(909) 778-9160

Yamaha WaveRunner FX140 is the cleanest burning, quietest, most fuel-efficient watercraft ever

Kennesaw, GA - Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A unveiled the world’s first four-stroke personal watercraft today, marking the beginning of a new wave of watercraft that are cleaner burning, quieter and more fuel efficient than ever before.

The FX140 utilizes leading edge technology that delivers more power per displacement, consumes less fuel making that power, and produces less exhaust emission than any PWC on the market in 2001. Four-stroke technology is important to the personal watercraft industry because it is the first long-term solution to many of the issues posed by industry critics citing emissions and noise. The Yamaha WaveRunner® FX140 is a technological breakthrough for the PWC industry and is the ultimate combination of horsepower and very low emissions.

"The FX140 is the culmination of Yamaha's 45 years experience as one of the most prolific engine manufacturers in the world, " said Yamaha WaterCraft Group Company president Mark Speaks. "As the world leader in the development of four-stroke motors, we are proud to lead the personal watercraft industry in this new direction. More importantly, we do a tremendous amount of research to stay on top of our customers' needs and the FX140 is exactly what they have been asking for."

Most important to personal watercraft owners is protecting their right to ride on public waterways without the threat of future restrictions based on emission standards. According to California Air Resources Board member and San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts, four-stroke technology could mean the end of future restrictions on personal watercraft based on emission standards. "This is a win-win situation where we will have cleaner air and cleaner water and people will be able to continue to enjoy these recreational vehicles," said Roberts. CARB has adopted the most stringent exhaust emission standards in the U.S. far exceeding the federal standards set forth by the EPA.

And that's good news for personal watercraft owners. "Today's watercraft owners are concerned about the environment and the health of their local waterways," said Mark Denny, Managing Director of the American Watercraft Association representing over 1 million personal watercraft owners. "New technology watercraft with four-stroke engines and sound suppression systems will help ensure that personal watercraft owners can continue to enjoy America's public waterways."

A quick look at the Yamaha FX140 product reveals groundbreaking developments:

• FX140 exceeds 2006 EPA exhaust emissions regulations.
• FX140 is noticeably quieter than other PWCs.
• The four-stroke technology in the FX140 is 30% more fuel-efficient than two-stroke models.
• The FX140 does not require that oil be added to the gas, unlike PWCs with two-stroke engines.
• The state of the art technology employed in the FX140 can reduce operating costs by $1000 or more per year.
• There is virtually no exhaust smoke during operation; the only visible exhaust is water vapor.
• The FX140’s broad power band makes it the best watercraft available for towing skiers and wakeboarders.
• The FX140 employs the lowest emission engine technology available.

"The personal watercraft industry has been mandated to reduce exhaust emissions at a rate more accelerated than that of any other industry in the history of the United States," said Monita Fontaine, Executive Director of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association. "Our industry has committed hundreds of millions of dollars and years of research and development to introduce environmentally-friendly technologies. We are all proud of Yamaha for developing four-stroke technology for the watercraft industry."

Yamaha is one of the largest engine building companies in the world supplying engines to the automotive, powersports and marine industries. According to Speaks, the FX140 is the most revolutionary technological development in the personal watercraft industry since the introduction of the first sit-down PWC in 1987.

The Yamaha WaveRunner® FX140 will be manufactured in the United States at Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America in Newnan, Georgia. The FX140 is a three-person recreational watercraft, capable of towing a water skier or wakeboarder. This watercraft features the Yamaha MR-1 engine, which is specially designed for personal watercraft. The MR-1 motor is a four-cylinder, dual overhead cam design with fuel injection and Yamaha's patented five-valve technology. The WaveRunner FX140 will be formally introduced to its dealer network in August and will arrive at Yamaha dealerships in the U.S. in early 2002.

Yamaha WaterCraft Group Company, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A, is headquarted in Kennesaw, GA. Yamaha WaterCraft Group Company is responsible for the marketing and distribution of Yamaha WaveRunner® watercraft and Yamaha Sport Boats in the United States. Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA is a leading distributor of motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, golf cars and marine products in the U.S.