Technology - eco for real & right now.

August 13, 2008 by editor

BETA ARTICLE: The Diesel solution with 25% more efficiency is a celebrity ride: BLUETEC.
Launching a premium SUV—even one powered by diesel—takes something of a leap of faith. And the company ready to leap right now is Mercedes-Benz. Their SUVs and crossovers, the five-seater ML-Class, the seven-passenger GL-Class and the six-seater (with an option for seven) R-Class, now get the option of a 50-state-legal diesel engine: the 320 CDI Bluetec. Benz officials have faith that the high current costs of diesel is an anomaly that will right itself in good time. As diesel fans, we certainly hope so, a 30mpg SUV sounds right to me.

Across winding two-laners here, we recently put the pedal down on the full range of V6 diesel Mercedes-Benz SUVs—ML, GL and R—to find out which ones make the most compelling case for hauling capability, without instilling the fear of a lease for yet another rig with a gas-guzzling V8.
—Colin Ryan

From MBUSA: Seven-time Grammy winning artist Alanis Morissette has partnered with Mercedes-Benz and its “Mixed Tape” online music magazine for “Underneath,” the first video/single from her highly anticipated new album Flavors of Entanglement (Maverick/Reprise Records). Alanis, a strong supporter of environmental causes and organizations, chose the fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC for the music clip.“Making green choices on a local level is important in creating global change,” says Alanis. “I’m glad that Mercedes-Benz is introducing a great option with the new E320 BlueTEC, and thrilled to include it in the video for my new song ‘Underneath’ as it fits right in with the concept.”

In the video, which was shot in Los Angeles, Alanis is sitting at a bus stop wearing a “Save the Earth” t-shirt and distributing fliers to encourage concern for the environment. When a Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC passes by, Alanis salutes the Mercedes driver in appreciation for their environmentally aware choice.

Flavors of Entanglement will go on sale in Italy and Germany on May 30, and June 2 in most other countries except Japan and United States where it will arrive on June 2 and June 10, respectively. The new video is in extra large rotation on VH-1 following its debut on May 20. In June, the “Underneath” video featuring the E320 BlueTEC sedan will appear online both at Mixed Tape, the downloadable Mercedes-Benz music magazine (www.mercedes-benz.tv/mixedtape), and at the Mercedes-Benz USA BlueTEC micro site (www.mbusa.com).

BlueTEC denotes state-of-the-art engine and exhaust technology which produces the cleanest diesels available on the market today. Utilizing this technology, the V6-powered E320 BlueTEC diesel is able to provide the powerful torque of a large V8 engine with the low fuel consumption of a four-cylinder compact. This fall, the E320 BlueTEC sedan will be joined by a trio of Mercedes-Benz SUV’s using this advanced powerplant, including ML320 BlueTEC SUV, the larger GL320 BlueTEC, and the versatile R320 BlueTEC.

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. Last year, the Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC was named the “2007 World Green Car,” an awards program initiated, organized, and conducted by automotive journalists from around the globe.