J.D. Power and Associates Ranks Evinrude Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Two-Stroke Outboard Engines

Miami, Florida, February 15, 2007 – For the second time in three years, BRP's Evinrude® direct injection two-stroke outboard engines, manufactured in Sturtevant, Wis., have been ranked highest in customer satisfaction with two-stroke outboard engines in a tie in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Marine Engine Competitive Information StudySM†.

The award was presented this morning at the J.D. Power and Associates awards ceremony in conjunction with the Miami International Boat Show at the Miami Convention Center. BRP's vice president, North American outboard engine sales, Mike Kennedy, accepted the award.

“This award is very significant for Evinrude and right in line with results of our own consumer surveys conducted in the fall. With only four years in the marketplace, Evinrude E-TEC has reached the top of the customer satisfaction ranking faster than any outboard engine ever has," said Roch Lambert, vice president, general manager, Outboard Marine Engines, BRP.

Evinrude is the most improved two-stroke DI product in its category, increasing 24 index points since last year and gaining a total of 46 index points in the past two years combined. These points show that Evinrude outboard consumer satisfaction has dramatically improved with gains that substantially exceed competitive two-stroke DI engines studied.