Click the ML320 BLUETEC for a high res gallery

Mercedes is expecting big things from its Bluetec badge, starting with its line of SUVs and crossovers. In fact, the German automaker expects fifteen percent of all if its utility vehicles to be sold with diesel engines. We think that figure may even be a bit low, considering that MB nearly sells that percentage already and is unable to sell the vehicles in the huge California market, among others. Though diesel prices are currently hovering a bit higher than already high gasoline prices, both Mercedes-Benz and AutoblogGreen expect that the roughly $1,000 Bluetec diesel premium will pay for itself in just over a year. When we got our first drive in the clean-diesel Benzes, we managed rather impressive mileage numbers in all three vehicles, both on the highway and in city driving.

Expect to see more of Mercedes' big diesel utes in green advertising. Stephen Cannon, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA says, "We would like to give that Bluetec logo as much cachet as the term hybrid has." That will take some major marketing push, as the word "hybrid" is synonymous with green autos for many Americans.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

During a media preview of the new BlueTec diesel powered Mercedes SUVs here in Vermont, Thomas Ruhl Director of R-Class, SUV hybrid and BlueTec discussed some of the alternative drive systems coming from Stuttgart in the near future. While he didn't get into any of the electric car programs that have been discussed recently, he did talk about hybrids. Ruhl confirmed that the S400 BlueHybrid and ML450 BlueHybrid will be launched in the U.S. in 2009. BlueHybrid does not mean these are diesel hybrids, Blue is just the color that Mercedes and others are using to denote their cleaner, more efficient vehicles. When a diesel hybrid arrives it will be called a BlueTec Hybrid.

The S400 will use the mild hybrid system jointly developed by Mercedes and BMW and will be equipped with a lithium ion battery. The ML450 will be the first Mercedes application of the Two-Mode hybrid system. General Motors is building the Two-Mode hybrid transmissions for its own applications as well as supplying Chrylser. Similarly, Ruhl revealed that Mercedes would build the Two-Mode transmissions for both its own and BMW's vehicles. The X6 will be the first Munich model to get the hybrid treatment. The guts of the Mercedes-built units will be identical for both German brands and, like the American version, the only difference is the mechanical interface to connect the respective automakers engines as well as the control software. One item Ruhl declined to discuss is the battery for use with the Two-Mode hybrids. GM and Chrysler are both using nickel metal hydride. Mercedes is using lithium ion for the mild hybrid and the 'no comment' from Ruhl indicates that the same may be true for the Two-Mode.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

By the middle of the next decade Mercedes-Benz wants its entire lineup to be able to operate entirely free of petroleum. The German giant is working on a variety of technologies that will help provide crude oil free transport such as battery electrics, fuel cells and highly efficient internal combustion engines that can operate on biofuels. Mercedes has recently been letting European journalists sample some of these new powertrains at a test facility in Spain.

The F700 concept that debuted last fall in Frankfurt is powered by a turbocharged DiesOtto engine. The DiesOtto is Mercedes' branding for a combined HCCI and spark ignition engine that provides nearly the same efficiency as a diesel without the need for the expensive after-treatment systems. This and conventional diesel engines can run on biofuels and Mercedes hopes to launch the DiesOtto in production by 2010. Mercedes is also currently field testing electrically-driven vehicles with both batteries alone and fuel cells each of which they also plan to launch at the beginning of the decade. While it may well be that all Mercedes models in 2015 will be capable of running petroleum free, the reality is that many - if not most - will still be using fossil fuels much of the time. That may come in the form of coal for electricity, natural gas reformed into hydrogen, or petroleum fuels blended with biofuels. But you have to start somewhere.

[Source: The Sun]

Earlier this year, rumors of an all-electric luxury car from Mercedes-Benz hit our radar and now Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has reportedly confirmed that his company is trying to release a high-class EV in 2010. This isn't the Smart EV, although that's still on the drawing board, but a separate Benz electric. The news comes from Thompson Financial (via Automotive News - subs req'd), which got a sneak peek at tomorrow's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung interview with Zetsche. Zetsche didn't reveal any more details (except to say that the price of the vehicle is dependent on if the batteries will be sold or leased) so we'll just return to our notes from March from an insider at Mercedes' Stuttgart Research Center. We also know that the Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid, pictured, should be MB's first vehicle to use lithium-ion batteries.

[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]

As announced for the A and B-series, Mercedes is naming its environmental line Blue Efficiency. MB's compact sedans, the C-Series, will now get the Blue Efficiency treatment. They will be offered with two engine versions, the C180 Kompressor (gasoline) and the C200 CDI (diesel). Both versions are about €500 cheaper than the previous base versions, at €30,613 and €32,516 respectively (in Germany).

For the C-Class Blue Efficiency, Mercedes has installed lighter glass (1.2 kg less) and lightweight alloys, as well as using tires that have 17 percent less rolling resistance. The car was also lowered and got a revised engine bay, closed underbody and redesigned mirrors for slicker aerodynamics. These changes reduce overall resistance by seven percent.

The C180 Kompressor had its engine size reduced from 1.8 to 1.6 liters while keeping its power and torque figures, 156 HP and 230 Nm (170 lbft), respectively. The C200 CDI got no significant improvements, and neither of the two versions got the Stop/Start feature. However, fuel consumption figures are already pretty good: 6.5 l/100 km (36 mpg U.S.), and 5.1 l/100 km (46 mpg) for the C200 CDI. Even without out any serious changes to the C200 CDI, these are 0.9 and 0.6 liters lower than the previous most economical versions, respectively.

[Source: Mercedes via Auto Presse]

There is no silver bullet to kill the oil werewolf. How many times have we heard that line (well, without the werewolf part)? A lot, and Mercedes issued a press release today that pretty much takes that one idea and goes on to explain at length how Daimler AG is going about loading all their weapons in the war against oil dependency (ok, ok, I'll stop with this metaphorical nonsense now).

As longtime readers will know, Mercedes (like most automakers) is working on a variety of technologies to reduce fuel consumption. The tri-star brand has got DiesOtto (aka HCCI); lithium-ion batteries in upcoming production cars (the S400 BlueHybrid); and all those BlueTEC and BlueEFFICIENCY vehicles. Daimler's announcement today is about the company's "Road to the Future," and it sums up these various technologies (and more, like fuel cells) while talking about the idea of modular application. That is, future MB vehicles could include multiple green technologies (or parts of each) to create vehicles that Daimler is happy with "depending upon vehicle class, usage profile and customer requirements," as eMercedes-Benz put it. All in all, Mercedes isn't announcing anything new today, but they are saying that they've got a broad plan to make future vehicles as clean as possible. That's as close to a silver bullet as we're likely to see.

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz A-Class

While Mercedes-Benz is a leader in clean diesel technology, the German luxury brand has been lagging behind its arch-rival BMW when it comes to the adoption of green technology such as stop/start in its lower-end models. This omission will soon change, as the A-Class and B-Class models, which are not sold in the U.S. market, will be granted the technology shortly. While consumers will likely appreciate the fuel savings most, the brand will be happy to report the reduction in carbon dioxide, which is regulated in most of the world.

The stop/start technology that will be used by Mercedes-Benz is a very basic system and is shared with the smart brand. Because the starter will be used much more often than normal, a larger starter motor and battery is required. BMW harnesses a portion of the energy usually lost when braking to recharge this more powerful battery. Mercedes' system does not allow this capability, though the automaker claims it is hard at work on the next-generation version of this technology which they say will incorporate regenerative braking.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req'd]

Click above for high-res shots of the Actros

Quick: Name the most fuel efficient 40 ton truck in the world. Any guesses? A quick consultation with the good people from the Guinness World Records publication would tell you that its the new Mercedes-Benz Actros, which managed to achieve an average of 12.39 miles per gallon while hauling a 25 ton payload. The record-setting drive was achieved at the Nardo test track in Italy, where a steady speed of fifty miles per hour was kept over a seven-day round-the-clock test session. Not only was the fuel efficiency tested, but so were the emissions. Results of the tests found that CO₂ emissions registered at 20.5 grams per ton of payload and kilometer. We're not really used to seeing statistics presented this way, so Mercedes-Benz includes a note that modern hybrid vehicles emit 297 g/tkm of CO₂, making the new Actros, with its BlueTec diesel technology and automated manual transmission, seem a very efficient method of transporting goods.

Click to enlarge

This fall, Mercedes-Benz will offer a new A-Class coupe - the A 160 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY - that gets 52mpg (U.S.). In the NEDC consumption calculation, the car comes in at 4.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres and emits just 119 grams of CO₂ per kilometer. Those are the best ratings in the A-Class range, and the A 160 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY will still deliver 60 kW/82 hp.

As is standard in the BlueEFFICIENCY range, minor tweaks to the styling and the addition of start-stop capability are what turns a standard A-Class into a more efficient ride (other new vehicles in the line-up get "just" 29mpg). Starting with an old standby - a manual transmission - and adding low rolling resistance tires and weight cuts, the A 160 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY also features a new closed-off aerodynamic grille and lowered suspension to make the car as slippery as possible. Daimler can likely count on solid sales of the new A 160 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY, as more than 1.7m A-Class vehicle have been sold since the model launched in 1997. More details after the break.

Click on the image for high-res shots of this diesel 1967 Mercury Cougar

Much of the vegetable oil and biodiesel movement centers around the classic Mercedes-Benz inline six cylinder engine, but fine examples of the genre are getting tougher to find. As is always the case with older machines, time and driving in general take their toll on the bodies and chassis of our favorite classics. But, these old Mercedes lumps can be rebuilt to fine running order. Wondering what to do with that good-running or rebuilt turbodiesel engine? How about dropping it into the engine bay of some classic Detroit iron? Many of these older American vehicles were built with engine-bays capable of accepting everything from a straight-six to a huge big block V8 engine. If that sounds like too much trouble, perhaps you should take a look at an example that's already been converted. Right now on Craigslist in L.A. is a cherry 1967 Mercury Cougar with a Mercedes OM617 cast iron turbodiesel engine from a Mercedes-Benz 300SD. Mated to a four-speed manual tranny, we'd imagine that many trouble-free miles of burbling diesel goodness are in store for this particular gem. Thanks for the tip, Geeky1!


[Source: Craigslist]

Click on the image to view high-resolution shots

Mercedes-Benz often appears on our pages, but we're not sure if the Trailblazer has ever been mentioned here before. Today, we fix that. OK, not that Trailblazer, but a new bicycle from Mercedes-Benz with the assistance of German cycle manufacturer ADP Engineering GmbH. Offered in both mens and womens versions, the full-suspension mountain bike features the tried-and-true four-link arrangement at the rear along with an air-shock and comes fully equipped for whatever you could throw at it with an aluminum and magnesium frame, Rock Shox front suspension and fully hydraulic Avid Juicy Five disc brakes. As you may expect from any machine carrying the three-pointed star, it ain't cheap, starting at $4,400 in Europe, but it likely the cheapest way to bring a new Benz into your garage. Full press release and technical details after the break.

Click on the image to view high-res shots of the Mercedes F700 concept

As part of an annual meeting held in Berlin, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche says that the company will increase its R&D spending to $21 billion for the year 2010. A major part of those expenses will go towards alternative powerplants. Hydrogen and lithium ion batteries will make up a good chunk of these charges, and Zetsche claims that Daimler has made "a major breakthrough in battery technology." Regarding the heat generated by lithium ion batteries, Zetsche adds, "Daimler has solved the problem. Thanks to the integration of the vehicle's cooling system, the batteries can now operate continually at optimal system temperatures. This maximizes their power output; extends their service life, and make it possible to use this high-performance technology in automotive applications. We've protected this innovation with 25 patents."

Mercedes-Benz will continue to offer large, powerful and luxurious vehicles in each of the market segments in which it competes. What's more, Dr. Z adds, the company "aims to offer at least one model in each of the Mercedes-Benz core model series that is a leader in fuel consumption." We're reminded of the F700 concept that the company recently introduced. We would add that DiesOtto, or HCCI engines, could make a dent in Mercedes' overall fuel consumption statistics.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Click the new Mercedes diesel for a high res gallery

Mercedes-Benz was the first automaker to bring diesel engines to automobiles and just after the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rudolf Diesel, they are announcing a redesigned four cylinder diesel line. The new trio of four cylinder turbo diesels all displace 2143cc and have power outputs ranging from 136hp to 204hp and up to 369lb-ft of torque in the most powerful version. That puts output on a par with the latest four cylinder diesels from arch-rival BMW. In spite of the increased output from 168 to 204hp in the most powerful version, fuel consumption has been reduced. In the C250 CDI that debuts this fall, the EU combined fuel consumption is rated at 43.6 mpg (U.S.), an improvement of almost 4 mpg. The mid-level 170hp goes 46.1 miles on every American-sized gallon of diesel. Carbon dioxide emissions for the two engines are rated at 143 and 136 g/km respectively.

The improved output comes courtesy of a number of changes in the design. For the first time, Mercedes four cylinder diesels will get two-stage turbocharging to provide faster low end response as well as more top end power. The latest fourth-generation Bosch common-rail injection system bumps the fuel pressure from 23,000psi to 29,000psi. The increased pressure head allows for more accurate and precise metering of the fuel being sprayed into combustion chambers. Further improvements in precision come courtesy of the piezo-electric injectors which replace the solenoid units previously used. Tiny piezo crystals expand when electrically charged, moving the plunger that allows fuel flow. The piezo injectors react more quickly and consistently than the older electromagnetic solenoids. Mercedes engineers have also reduced parasitic losses by adding control of the oil and water pumps to regulate the pressure and reduce loads. Internal components have also been strengthened and lightened for reduced vibration and smoother running. NOx production has also been reduced at the source, by optimizing the shape of the combustion chamber and reducing compression ratio from 17.5 to 16.2:1. The lower compression reduces combustion temperatures and hence NOx production. The full details from Mercedes are after the jump.

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Mercedes-Benz premiered two new models - updated A and B Class vehicles - at the Auto Mobil International exhibition in Leipzig. When the B Class was previewed last month, we learned it would get a start-stop "mini hybrid" system as well as a BlueEFFICIENCY option. The A Class 150 and 170 now also gain the start-stop system (no surprises there). The new A 160 CDI with BlueEFFICIENCY can now go 52 miles on a U.S.-sized gallon of gas (4.5 litres per 100 kilometres) and the 60 kW/82 hp Coupé emits just 119 grams of CO₂ per km. Overall, the eco-additions to the three A and B class models that have the BlueEFFICIENCY packages reduce fuel use in the city by up to nine percent. The new B 170 NGT (that stands for "Natural Gas Technology") can also burn either petrol or natural gas, something that will appeal to emissions-minded European drivers. The NGT has a tank for gasoline and five natural gas reservoirs and will able to drive over 1,000 km (620 miles) if all available fuel space is filled to start. These updated models will be available starting this fall. Full details after the break.

click to enlarge and see more high-res images

The news out this morning that the three Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC SUVs will be available in all fifty states in the fall (aka election time) was turned into faux political rally during the Benz press event here at the New York Auto Show. The spiel was that the diesel SUVs - the R 320 BlueTEC, the ML 320 BlueTEC and the GL 320 BlueTEC - are the "clean" candidates for your vote/dollar. Somehow Benz roped in about 80 people to wear "Vote For BlueTEC" buttons and cheer for the cars. We'll have a video of all this hoopla later after the jump, but we wanted to bring you pictures straightaway.