Answer
May 04, 2024 - 10:01 PM
Evinrude did not take over Johnson; rather, both Evinrude and Johnson were acquired by the same parent company. In the late 1990s, the Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC), which was the parent company of both Evinrude and Johnson, faced financial difficulties. This led to Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) acquiring the Evinrude and Johnson brands, including their technologies, in the early 2000s.
Historically, Evinrude and Johnson were competitors in the outboard motor market. However, they were merged under the Outboard Motors Corporation (OMC) umbrella in 1936, with Johnson Motors formally becoming a division of OMC on September 30, 1936. The merger was part of a strategy to consolidate the outboard motor industry during that era.
It's important to note that BRP announced the cessation of Evinrude outboard engine production in 2020, marking the end of an era for the storied brand. Despite this, Evinrude remains listed as a BRP brand, and the technology developed under Evinrude, such as the E-TEC direct injection system, continues to be used in other BRP products like Ski-Doo snowmobiles.
