Mercedes-Benz Diesel May Cure Sticker Shock at the Pump

Full-Size Luxury Sedan Achieves 37 MPG and Up to 780 Miles Per Tank

MONTVALE, N.J., April 27 -- Do you get sticker shock at every gas pump, but don't want to sacrifice your people- and cargo-carrying space? Are you now resigned to ever-higher fuel prices, but not ready to take the hybrid plunge? Mercedes-Benz, the company that invented the diesel passenger car, suggests that the time is right to consider a switch to new clean diesel technology.

Here's what still seems to be a well-kept secret -- the latest CDI (Common-rail Direct Injection) diesel engines offer 20-40 percent better fuel mileage as well as long range between fill-ups and powerful acceleration. Most of today's diesels utilize state-of-the-art engine technologies making them among the cleanest, quietest and most powerful engines on the road.

V8 Power and Four-Cylinder Fuel Economy for SUVs and Large Vehicles

While it's no secret that SUVs satisfy the American consumer's demand for large, powerful vehicles, diesel technology offers a fuel-efficient way to enjoy the benefits of these larger vehicles without sacrificing space or performance. In fact, a diesel-powered SUV can yield an estimated 30 percent increase in fuel economy in these larger vehicles.

Diesels inherently produce high engine torque, delivering four-cylinder fuel economy with V8 pulling power. Starting this fall, Mercedes-Benz will offer a new V6 CDI engine in its popular M-Class sport utility vehicle and in the six-passenger R-Class sport tourer with the launch of the ML320 and R320 CDI diesels. A diesel version of the all-new seven-passenger GL-Class will launch in early 2007.

New York to Detroit on a Tank of Fuel -- and Then Some

The Federal EPA rates the current Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI -- a full-sized four-door luxury sedan -- at 27 miles per gallon around town and 37 mpg in highway driving. Additionally, it can cruise up to 780 miles (New York to Detroit with miles to spare) on a single tank of fuel. Perhaps most impressive, the 201-hp six-cylinder diesel engine can accelerate this luxury four-door sedan from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds -- comparable to the gasoline-powered E350 V6.

BLUETEC -- Diesel for the Future

Also scheduled to make its world retail debut in Fall 2006, Mercedes-Benz BLUETEC technology combines sophisticated engine design with a special exhaust after-treatment system to offer the cleanest diesel technology in the world. The E320 BLUETEC incorporates an oxidizing catalytic converter, a particulate filter, an advanced "denox" storage converter and a SCR catalytic converter.

To meet even more stringent emission requirements, the BLUETEC system could also be equipped with another innovation -- AdBlue injection. When AdBlue, a water-based urea solution, is injected into pre-cleaned exhaust gas, ammonia is released, converting nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen in a downstream SCR catalytic converter. Called SCR for Selective Catalyst Reduction, this process creates the most effective method of exhaust gas after-treatment currently available.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2005, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 224,421 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 12 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com/ and http://www.maybachusa.com/.