Merc pitches diesel SUV in US
There's a big petrol-powered V8 option too
Dr Dieter Zetsche
However, with the rise in gas prices Mercedes reckoned it has an opportunity to get in there early by pitching the idea of good fuel economy while not having to abandon US motorists' love affair with the monster SUV.
Showcased at the Detroit show this week, the GL320 Bluetec is claimed to house the cleanest diesel engine in the world. The SUV will be launched in the autumn of 2006 in the US, and is the first Bluetec passenger car going into series production. But just in case US car buyers don't go for it, Mercedes is hedging its bets by launching a pair of petrol-powered versions, a 5.5-litre and a 4.6-litre, both V8s.
The bloke in the photo is Dr. Dieter Zetsche, new boss of Mercedes and DaimlerChrysler as of the start of 2006. He said: "As a powerful, economical and clean drive system, Bluetec can significantly help American drivers continue to enjoy large, powerful cars for many years to come - whether you are looking at large sedans, vans, light trucks or SUVs", Dr. Zetsche explained. "Bluetec diesel vehicles have the potential to meet the world's most stringent exhaust emissions standards, including those of all 50 US States."
PH said:
the E320 Blutec is claimed to house the cleanest diesel engine in the world. The SUV will be launched in the autumn of 2006
Correct me if i'm wrong, but the E-Class isn't an SUV, and it's 5.5 V8 version has been out for a couple of years.
The GL-Class in the picture sure is though, perhaps the GL is the car and the E320 is the engine?
) in the picture isn't an E-class. Note how they've called it 'Bluetec'. The aspiring marketing w*nker in me would like to suggest that perhaps, given the type of vehicle they're debuting it with, this is a deliberate eschewing of the word 'green' and its associated imagery so it won't scare off those who don't wish to be labelled with the Prius gentry apparently so common in states such as California. Ali.
(slaps self).
zumbruk said:
"Blue" being a reference to the colour of the gigantic plume of carcinogenic filth this thing will chuck out?
Actually i think you'll find the bluetec is a reference to a filter that cuts emmissions by 80%
which means less road tax and more money to spend on something exciting.With the petrol V8.
What self-respecting soccer mommy is going to buy a full-size SUV with a 3.2 Liter engine? Even if it is a torquey diesel?
Although personally I do think diesels could catch on over there - as long as they're powerful enough. They like their cars, pick-ups and SUVs to look like big rigs anyway, so why not take it to the next level and drop an oil-burner in there, just like the real thing?
ubergreg said:
What self-respecting soccer mommy is going to buy a full-size SUV with a 3.2 Liter engine? Even if it is a torquey diesel?
That's what the "badge delete" option is for. The average soccer mom isn't going to notice the misisng horsepower on school runs anyway (the diesel torque will more than make up for it in stop-and-go). The real problem is going to be when the engine blows after that soccer mom accidentally puts regular gas in instead of diesel.
The real problem affecting American diesel is the high sulfer content anyway.
GHW said:
Is that the new G-Wagen?
Nope. Thankfully MB aren't stopping production of the G just yet..
New as in upcoming, I well know that the original G is still being made by Puch in Austria, and whats better is that Australia will be getting something like 50 G55 AMG's to test the water before the new one, ie, as pictured, gets introduced.
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