Click above for a high-res gallery of the ML320 BLUETEC

We already knew that purchasers of VW's new clean diesel-powered Jetta for 2009 would be eligible for a tax credit of $1,300, and now more models from Germany get the same treatment from the Internal Revenue Service. All Mercedes-Benz models equipped with the BLUETEC emissions treatment technology will get a rebate. The 2009 GL320, R320 and ML320 BLUETEC are expected to go on sale beginning in October of this year, which should give prospective buyers plenty of time to get ready to prepare for the savings on their taxes. Each of the vehicles will get a different rebate ranging from $900 for the ML to $1,800 for the GL due to the process the IRS uses to determine how much fuel will be saved by the vehicle. As with other similar systems, each manufacturer is limited to 60,000 units sold before the rebates come to an end.


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

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]

Click the ML320 BLUETEC for a high res gallery

Mercedes-Benz kicked off the race to the finish line for 50-state legal, urea-injected diesels this week with a first drive in Vermont. Mercedes chose Vermont for the international media debut of its BLUETEC diesel SUVs for the scenic vistas and the fact that the Green Mountain state is one of the states that has chosen to enforce California emissions standards. Those emission standards are by far the tightest in the world, particularly when it comes to diesel engines. The Tier 2 Bin 5 standard regulates emissions of nitrogen oxides to one fifth the level of the upcoming Euro 5 emissions standards.

A whole new batch of T2B5 compliant diesel-powered vehicles are on their way to U.S. car dealers starting this summer with the VW Jetta TDI. Mercedes aims to beat BMW to market with larger diesel vehicles. The existing ML320, GL320 and R320 CDI models are only available for sale in 45 states. The CDI models are being replaced for 2009 by BlueTec models that add selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment systems to the existing particulate filter and oxidation catalyst. Mercedes is already the first manufacturer to get T2B5 certification. Read on after the jump to find out how they behave on the road.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.