'E' for 'Ecological'

Mercedes-Benz announced at the Frankfurt Motor Show that Bluetec diesel technology would be introduced in Europe. The company has now made good on its promise with the Euro launch of the E 300 Bluetec. Bluetec has been available in the US, where emissions legislation is increasingly onerous and MB has been committed to bringing the environmentally friendly diesel to customers in Europe.

According to Daimler AG, the E 300 Bluetec is the world's cleanest running diesel car in its class. To achieve this result, the Bluetec engine uses known but leading edge features such as exhaust aftertreatment facility, a diesel particulate filter, an oxidising catalytic converter and an SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) converter. The engine exceeds the Euro V standard and has the potential to meet the proposed Euro VI standard also.

Mercedes-Benz will offer the E 300 Bluetec alongside the existing E 320 CDI. Relative to the E 320, the Bluetec model produces 10kW less power (155kW versus 165), but the same torque (540Nm from as low as 1600rpm through to 2400rpm). Offsetting the reduced power, the Bluetec engine is more economical and produces fewer emissions. Fuel economy is claimed to be 7.2 to 7.5lt/100km.

Other changes to improve the engine's efficiency include special piezo-electric injectors, a lower compression ratio and specific fine-tuning of the turbocharger and exhaust gas recirculation.

Coinciding with the new diesel model, the E 350 CGI has also been released, with a second generation direction petrol injection system delivering fuel to the V6 engine. Compared with the port-injected engine fitted to the E 350, the direct-injection E 350 CGI develops more power (215kW), more torque (365Nm) and uses around 10 per cent less fuel. Fuel consumption is estimated to be 8.7lt/100km and yet the E 350 CGI sedan can accelerate to 100km/h from a standing start in 6.8 seconds, according to factory figures.

This engine was introduced with the CLS 350 CGI and has now been adopted for the sedan and wagon variants in the E-Class range.

According to David McCarthy, Senior Manager Corporate Communications for Mercedes-Benz in Australia, "they will [come here], but it's still a couple of years off.

"Bluetec we're looking currently -- hopefully -- within a couple of years. It is [an issue] particularly related to fuel quality."