With gas prices holding steady at $3.00 plus per gallon, for many, the time to switch to a more fuel-efficient vehicle has arrived.
Although consumers have a number of fuel-saving options to choose from, such as opting for a smaller vehicle, a number of Japanese hybrids, etc., few options allow drivers to maintain the spaciousness and drive quality found in traditional gasoline-powered automobiles.
One option - the option widely adopted throughout Europe - is to make the switch to a diesel-powered vehicle. Thanks to the latest in diesel technology, the switch, which for many seems insurmountable, is a painless one.
Take, for example, the Mercedes E320 CDI. When speaking of the benefits diesel power possesses, no vehicle more clearly demonstrates the advantages better than the less-traditional E-Class CDI. Powered by a 201 horsepower six-cylinder diesel powerplant, the luxury four-door sedan has an EPA rating of 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, enough to carry it from New York to Detroit (780 miles) on a single tank of fuel. As if that wasn't enough, the E320 CDI can accelerate from 0-60 in 6.6 seconds, comparable to its gas-powered E350 brother.
On average, diesel engines offer between 20-40% better fuel mileage when compared to gasoline engines.
I know what you're thinking: "What if I don't want an E-Class? What if I want an SUV instead?" To appease the American public and their affinity for larger vehicles, the Mercedes M-Class and R-Class are both scheduled to received diesel powerplants this fall. In addition, a diesel variant of the all-new GL-Class will hit the U.S. market in early 2007, just in time for gas prices to hit the $4-$5 range.
It seems like just yesterday I was filling gas at 99˘ a gallon... oh how quickly times change.
For more info on MBUSA's diesel lineup, you can find additional details in the full press release below.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Mercedes-Benz Diesel May Cure Sticker Shock at the Pump
MONTVALE, NJ – Do you get sticker shock at every gas pump, but don’t want to sacrifice your people- and cargo-carrying space? Are you now resigned to ever-higher fuel prices, but not ready to take the hybrid plunge? Mercedes-Benz, the company that invented the diesel passenger car, suggests that the time is right to consider a switch to new clean diesel technology.
Here’s what still seems to be a well-kept secret – the latest CDI (Common-rail Direct Injection) diesel engines offer 20-40 percent better fuel mileage as well as long range between fill-ups and powerful acceleration. Most of today’s diesels utilize state-of-the-art engine technologies making them among the cleanest, quietest and most powerful engines on the road.
V8 Power and Four-Cylinder Fuel Economy for SUVs and Large Vehicles
While it’s no secret that SUVs satisfy the American consumer’s demand for large, powerful vehicles, diesel technology offers a fuel-efficient way to enjoy the benefits of these larger vehicles without sacrificing space or performance. In fact, a diesel-powered SUV can yield an estimated 30 percent increase in fuel economy in these larger vehicles.
Diesels inherently produce high engine torque, delivering four-cylinder fuel economy with V8 pulling power. Starting this fall, Mercedes-Benz will offer a new V6 CDI engine in its popular M-Class sport utility vehicle and in the six-passenger R-Class sport tourer with the launch of the ML320 and R320 CDI diesels. A diesel version of the all-new seven-passenger GL-Class will launch in early 2007.
New York to Detroit on a Tank of Fuel – and Then Some
The Federal EPA rates the current Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI – a full-sized four-door luxury sedan – at 27 miles per gallon around town and 37 mpg in highway driving. Additionally, it can cruise up to 780 miles (New York to Detroit with miles to spare) on a single tank of fuel. Perhaps most impressive, the 201-hp six-cylinder diesel engine can accelerate this luxury four-door sedan from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds – comparable to the gasoline-powered E350 V6.
BLUETEC – Diesel for the Future
Also scheduled to make its world retail debut in Fall 2006, Mercedes-Benz BLUETEC technology combines sophisticated engine design with a special exhaust after-treatment system to offer the cleanest diesel technology in the world. The E320 BLUETEC incorporates an oxidizing catalytic converter, a particulate filter, an advanced “denox” storage converter and a SCR catalytic converter.
To meet even more stringent emission requirements, the BLUETEC system could also be equipped with another innovation -- AdBlue injection. When AdBlue, a water-based urea solution, is injected into pre-cleaned exhaust gas, ammonia is released, converting nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen in a downstream SCR catalytic converter. Called SCR for Selective Catalyst Reduction, this process creates the most effective method of exhaust gas after-treatment currently available.
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