The new engine has been excellent after 1300 hours or so. Very happy I went with the 150i, although the 110i would probably be just fine as well.
I am certain that Amel is acting with an abundance of caution, as the gearbox (and maybe the C-Drive) is not technically rated for the higher power engine. I am ALWAYS very cautious and never throttle the engine too fast or exceed 2000 rpm - no need to really, since the power curve for the D3-110 and D3-150 are identical up to about 1750 rpm. Above that is when the extra power kicks in.
Jamie
Phantom, A54 #44