AutoblogGreen

1. This vehicle is surely oriented toward European sensibilities - and tax structures that favor small engines. There simply isn't (yet) a market in the US for only-adequately-powered sedans in the Mercedes S-class price range.

And I suspect it will take more than $3 to $4 a gallon fuel to make this kind of vehicle popular in the States.

I'd like to see what improvements Mercedes could make in a diesel car like this with a "less mild" hybrid system.

Posted at 10:33AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Phil L.

2. The Authority article says this is a mild hybrid, not a proper parallel hybrid. While that's good for emissions, It has to be tough hauling a big, fat S-class around with that. I suppose in the executive service market this might be OK though.

Posted at 10:43AM on Jun 6th 2007 by Guenther

3. S-Class drivers have been enjoying 38mpg, a 600-mile tank range and 235hp/155mph performance of the car's exceptional diesel engine for almost a decade now. Seven in every ten buyers in Europe go for the oil-burner, so unless this strange 4-cyl hybrid offers something truly exceptional over the existing 'sensible option' -- who exactly is going to want one? It's not as though wealthy buyers on either side of the Atlantic have small-car fuel economy high up their list of priorities!

Posted at 11:02AM on Jun 6th 2007 by ThwartedEfforts

4. Mercedes doesn't even offer their direct injection 3.5 V6 here. (stupid sulfur)
When the fuel is ready (hopefully very soon) take that engine, the dual electric motor 'hybridized' 7g-tronic. Almost 300hp & almost 30mpg.

or DB could just offer the short wheelbase s-class with the 4.7 V8, and drop the price 10 grand. baby steps.

Posted at 11:42AM on Jun 6th 2007 by MikeW

5. Benz knows their market pretty well. I am sure this drive train will deliver on performance.

Posted at 11:54AM on Jun 6th 2007 by small-wee-wee

6. The European S class 320cdi achieves 34mpg Imperial(28mpg US) with 235hp and more importantly for a heavy luxury car 398lbft of torque from 1600-2800rpms( more than a the 395lbft a Hemi can muster and at half the rpms)

This article excites me not because of the Hybrid idea, but because of the engine. 204hp from a 2.2L diesel is about 93hp/Liter very unusual for a diesel and the twin turbo suggests its a sequential turbo like that on the BMW 535d. We can estimate 290lbft of torque with this engine which can pull this large sedan without any troubles.

Judging from the fuel economy of 35mpg US from the single turbo 170hp version of this engine in the E-class, that 35mpg stated for the S-class should not be that far of for a slightly heavier S-class with start-stop("Mild hybrid" does not exist in my dictionary) function. This is just common sense. I would not be surprised if BMW follows up with a similar execution in the 7series. Mercedes does understand the Luxury car market more than any other automaker and this is proof of that.

Posted at 12:02PM on Jun 6th 2007 by Tman

7. Mercedes/Dodge Sprinter can go 80mph and tows somewhere north of 4000 lbs with a 2.7L CDI.

No surprise that the S-class hybrid can be respectable.

Posted at 3:11PM on Jun 6th 2007 by jshadows

8. Again, what self respecting rich person is going to buy an S-Class with a 2.2-litre in it?

Posted at 5:11PM on Jun 6th 2007 by Don

9. This car will likely be popular with for events such as the G8 summit where heads of state can arrive and not look too hypocritical for arriving in a big luxury sedan and then go debating climate change.

As another poster put it....this car is more in line with European sensibilities. Americans just wouldn't get it.

Posted at 5:35PM on Jun 6th 2007 by Der Alte

10. Hey, No. 8, 1960 is calling, they want their 2.2 liter engine back.

This is 2007 and 235 horsepower is STILL TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIVE HORSEPOWER, and what about the TORQUE from a Diesel. Time for you old folk to RECALIBRATE.

Posted at 10:51PM on Jun 6th 2007 by mikeinBuilding7

11. Like has been stated before, a 2.2L engine with 204hp and nearly 300lbft of torque @ 2000rpms is good enough for this car if about 60% of current worldwide S-class sales is the 235hp 3.0l CDi.

This enigne makes perfect sense as it would raise the fuel economy of the worlds best selling luxury car even further.

Only Americans cannot understand the logic behind diesels their strength is not from hp, but from the more important torque that made Americans Say "there is no replacement for displacement" in the first place. Unfortunately that statement no longer holds true.

This is the 21st century and that replacement is a "turbo diesel" which gives the lower fuel consumption we need today.

Posted at 3:29AM on Jun 9th 2007 by Tman

12. Wow! 204hp from a 2.2Lcrd. Too bad they didn't list the torque. http://www.whnet.com/4x4/diesel.html
shows that it should be between 480Nm/354lb-ft & 500Nm/369lb-ft. That's better than a few 3.0Lcrd's.
The previous 2.2Lcrd ranged from 110hp-150-ish hp.
The next gen 2.2Lcrd OM651 in the C class is 170hp 295lb-ft. http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/26/mercedes-unveils-four-cylinder-vision-c220-bluetec/

Posted at 4:38AM on Jun 22nd 2007 by 66coronet

13. http://www.automotive.com/future-cars/90/0604-2008-mercedes-benz-s-class-bluetec-hybrid/index.html
This shows the S-class bluetec hybrid has a combined 243hp and 400+lb-ft.
0-60=7+sec.

Posted at 4:47AM on Jun 22nd 2007 by 66coronet