News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 5, 2001

Yamaha Four-stroke PWC Receives Carb Certification
Yamaha FX140 achieves CARB 2004 two-star "very low emissions" rating

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

Kennesaw, GA - Yamaha is proud to be the first to announce the California Air Resources Board's certification of its four-stroke personal watercraft, the WaveRunner FX140.

Certified by CARB on October 29, the Yamaha FX140 exceeds CARB's stringent 2004 two-star "very low emissions" requirement. The FX140, rated 86% cleaner than conventional two-stroke engines, far surpasses CARB's 80% standard.

The high-performance FX140 utilizes leading edge technology to deliver the ultimate combination of horsepower and very low emissions, while the fuel efficiency of its four-stroke motor can save consumers $1,000 annually on fuel and oil costs. An added benefit of the FX140's four-stroke engine is the elimination of having to mix oil with the fuel for engine lubrication.

"The FX140 demonstrates that Yamaha is uniquely capable of delivering fun and exciting products that are environmentally-minded," said Mark Speaks, president of the Yamaha WaterCraft Group Company.

CARB has adopted the most stringent exhaust emission standards in the U.S. far exceeding the federal standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. According to CARB member and San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts, "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."

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 140hp, four-cylinder, dual overhead cam design with fuel injection and Yamaha's patented five-valve technology. The WaveRunner FX140 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $9,499 and will arrive at Yamaha dealerships in the U.S. in early 2002.

Being first is not new for Yamaha, which introduced the first sit-down style watercraft, the original WaveRunner, back in 1987. Yamaha introduced the industry's first three-person watercraft, the WaveRunner III, in 1990 and the industry's first four-person watercraft, the SUV1200, in 1999. Following this trend of firsts, Yamaha introduced the world's first four-stroke watercraft, Yamaha's FX140, in July 2001.