LOS ANGELES, CA – There was a new head turner this morning on the runway at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) unveiled a version of its E320 BLUETEC, a diesel sedan. A limited number of California customers will be able buy one with a special two-year/24,000-mile lease.
California’s stringent emissions requirements have kept new diesel automobiles models off the California market for almost a decade. The new E320 BLUETEC – named the “2007 World Green Car” by an international panel of journalists earlier this year – opens the floodgates for what is expected to become an onslaught of new clean diesel vehicles.
BLUETEC is the name for the Mercedes-Benz engine and exhaust technology that produces the cleaner diesels that will meet emission standards in all 50 States. This technology allows the V6-powered E320 BLUETEC diesel to create the powerful torque of a large V8 engine with the low fuel consumption of a four-cylinder compact.
“In order to be able to provide the power and economy of diesel technology throughout the world, we had to make the diesel version as clean as the gasoline model. With BLUETEC, nitrogen oxides can be reduced to such an extent that our diesel vehicles will satisfy the strictest emission regulations in the world – even in the future. This makes Mercedes-Benz the first manufacturer in the world to fully bring all exhaust gas components under control,” said Dr. Leopold Mikulic, head of powertrain development at Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Beginning October 15, MBUSA will offer its E320 BLUETEC to customers under a two-year/24,000 mile lease program through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. The E320 BLUETEC is lease-priced on a par with its gasoline sibling, the E350.
The special limited-mileage lease program is the first step in the company’s plans to offer consumers diesel alternatives in all 50 states. MBUSA will offer 50-state diesels across its SUV model lines (M, GL and R-Class) late next year and will continue to add to its alternative powertrain offerings.
According to Tom Cackette, executive director for the California Air Resources Board (CARB), “The E320 is testimony to demanding nothing but the cleanest vehicles for California. Mercedes-Benz has developed a diesel emission control system that results in a car as clean as comparable gasoline vehicles being sold here. This vehicle has shed the reputation of diesel as a dirty technology. And we hope California has shed its anti-diesel reputation by certifying this vehicle as the first diesel passenger car to meet the most stringent smog emission standards in the world.”
MBUSA, has sold diesels in the United States for 40 years, is convinced that diesels are an ideal solution for today’s luxury car buyers because they deliver a significant increase in fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance or interior room. Driving range is also a factor for anyone considering a diesel over one of the other clean propulsion options such as electric. One hundred years ago electric cars took about eight hours to charge and ran for about 100 miles on a charge. Today they take about the same time to charge and still last only about 100 miles. On the other hand, the E320 BLUETEC can go nearly 700 highway miles on a single tank of diesel fuel.
“We’re breaking new ground here as we pave the way for the return of the diesel to California,” said Ernst Lieb, president and CEO of MBUSA. “BLUETEC is the most promising technology for customers who want to get up to 20-40 percent higher fuel efficiency without sacrificing the performance and the driving characteristics they’re used to.” According to Lieb, the California market plays a critical role in the comeback of the diesel: “In addition to being one of the top automotive markets in the world, California has tremendous influence. We know we have quite a few loyal diesel buyers there who have been waiting for the opportunity to get back into a diesel, but we also want to tap into a new group of buyers who are interested in making their dollar go farther without compromising performance or their personal style.”
Beyond their fuel efficiency, from an environmental standpoint, BLUETEC vehicles are the cleanest diesels available in the world today. Since diesels inherently burn less fuel than gasoline vehicles, they also produce significantly lower emissions of carbon dioxide (C02). Also, in BLUETEC vehicles particulate levels are reduced to levels comparable – or better than – that of gasoline-powered vehicles. Similarly, NOX emissions are reduced to meet the most stringent exhaust limits in the world.
The California lease program will function as a bridge as MBUSA prepares to begin phasing in 50-state BLUETEC vehicles nationwide starting in 2008. The first step will be the extension of the special lease program to other states that do not currently allow sales of new diesel automobiles in January 2008. Later in 2008, Mercedes will introduce another BLUETEC system on its M-, R- and GL-Class vehicles. This system utilizes “AdBlue” injection, a process that adds a urea-based solution into the exhaust stream which enhances long-term emissions performance that meet stringent emission standards.
Hybrids have been ruling the alternative power roost but it’s soon going to be diesels time to crow.
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