The Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC demonstrates quite clearly that hybrid powertrains are not the only way to reach environmental excellence. The advanced BlueTEC system is a technological marvel that brings out the best of diesel technology while virtually eliminating the shortcomings.
The Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC concept utilizes state-of-the-art diesel engine technology and exhaust technology to achieve superior fuel economy with the smallest possible environmental footprint. Fuel consumption in this luxury sedan is improved by up to 37 percent when compared to its gasoline counterpart: and torque – the key indicator of engine power – is 55 percent higher. The result is a six-cylinder engine with the power of an 8-cylinder and the fuel consumption of a 4-cylinder.
MERCEDES-BENZ E320 BLUETEC CHOSEN AS TOP GREEN CAR
MONTVALE , NJ – The highly successful E-Class line of full-size sedans and wagons features one of the broadest and most versatile range of models in the auto industry. From the thrifty, super-clean E320 BlueTEC diesel to the high-performance E63 AMG, the E-Class offers the perfect car for an equally diverse range of consumer needs. The E320 BlueTEC luxury sedan delivers up to 32 miles per gallon on the highway, and at the other end of the product spectrum, the 507-hp E63 AMG can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in an eye-popping 4.3 seconds.
Sport Models Enhanced with Standard AMG Package
While E-Class Luxury sedans and wagons can be identified by new seven-spoke 17-inch wheels for the 2009 model year, the E350 and E550 Sport sedans now come with the popular AMG Sport Package as standard equipment. The AMG package includes new five-spoke 18-inch AMG wheels, deeper front and rear aprons with dual exhaust pipes, lowered sport suspension and blue-tinted glass. Inside, the Sport models reveal white gauges and an AMG steering wheel that's complete with manual shift paddles.
New User-Friendly COMAND System
All E-Class models come with a new COMAND system featuring a large 6.5-inch color display screen with a standard in-dash, six-disc CD/DVD changer and a Bluetooth interface that allows a phone still in a pocket or purse to be operated through the car's audio system.
The COMAND system can be equipped with an optional iPod/MP3 interface, SIRIUS satellite radio, HD radio, and an advanced voice control system for audio, navigation and phone systems. Audio Central can play tracks stored on a data CD, DVD or memory card. The new system can also display maps and directions for the optional GPS navigation system, which can display Sirius real-time traffic information and Zagat restaurant ratings. A 510-watt harman/kardon LOGIC7 audio system featuring Dolby Digital/DTS 5.1 surround sound is standard equipment in the E-Class. The LOGIC7 system comes with 12 speakers, including two surround-sound speakers and a sub-woofer.
4MATIC Four-Wheel Drive Now A No-Charge Option
The E-Class line can be equipped with 4MATIC all-wheel drive – a no-charge option for 2009. As modern all-wheel-drive systems become more refined, they are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the luxury car market. With negligible weight and fuel-efficiency tradeoffs, full-time four-wheel drive provides year-round traction and stability benefits on both wet and dry roads.
PRE-SAFE Gives the E-Class Fast Reflexes
Among its industry-leading safety features, all E-Class models come with PRE-SAFE – the world's first system that can sense and take protective measures before a crash. The innovative PRE-SAFE system first automatically tensions the seatbelts if the car senses an impending collision.
PRE-SAFE uses resettable electric tensioners in addition to the existing pyrotechnic belt tensioners. What's more, if the front passenger seat is overly reclined or forward, PRE-SAFE moves it to a more favorable crash position. If the seat cushion angle of the front passenger seat is too shallow, it is also re-adjusted to help prevent submarining.
If the vehicle skids (often a precursor to rollover), the system can automatically close the sunroof and side windows. If a crash is averted, the electric belt tensioners automatically relax and are ready to deploy again.
If necessary, PRE-SAFE reacts to “fishtailing” (or oversteer) as well as “plowing” (or understeer) by using existing sensors for ESP stability control to measure steering angle, vehicle yaw and lateral acceleration. Emergency braking can also trigger PRE-SAFE, which monitors sensors for the Brake Assist system as well.
Four Versatile Engines For The E-Class
The E320 BlueTEC features a purpose-built 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine with 210 horsepower and an astonishing 400 lb.-ft. of torque, and the E350 uses the latest four-valve-per-cylinder V6 engine that produces 268 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Turning to the V8 side of the E-Class family, the E550 model is powered by a 32-valve 5.5-liter V8 delivering 382 horsepower and 391 lb.-ft. of torque, while the high-performance E63 AMG (available in sedan and wagon versions) is fitted with the first engine developed entirely by AMG – a 6.3-liter V8 that makes 507 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. One of the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8s ever, the engine boasts a wealth of features derived from AMG's successful racing efforts. Built almost completely from a high-strength silicon-aluminum alloy, the 6.3-liter features four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing, “bucket” followers (rather than rocker arms) and a variable intake manifold. The cylinder bores feature a twin-wire-arc-sprayed (TWAS) coating, a new process that results in impressively low friction and running surfaces that are twice as hard as conventional cast-iron cylinders.
The E63 AMG sedan can be ordered with an optional performance package that allows a 186-mph top speed instead of the usual 155-mph speed limiter. Other features in the package include AMG modified Airmatic sport suspension, two-piece 19-inch alloy wheels, larger front discs (15.4- inch diameter), a limited-slip differential and a leather and Alcantara-wrapped AMG sport steering wheel.
BlueTEC – A Blueprint For The World's Cleanest Diesels
Using several technologies to minimize diesel exhaust emissions, the E320 BlueTEC begins with a purpose-built diesel engine featuring four valves per cylinder, centrally located piezo-electric injectors, CDI direct injection, a variable-nozzle turbocharger and exhaust gas recirculation.
Building on this foundation of advanced engine design, the E320 BlueTEC incorporates several modular after-treatment units in the exhaust stream – an oxidizing catalytic converter, a maintenance-free particulate filter, an SCR converter and an NOx storage converter. In the “denox” storage converter, nitrogen oxides are absorbed temporarily, and during brief regeneration pulses of a richer fuel-air mixture, the nitrogen oxides are released, reacting with other exhaust gas to form harmless nitrogen. These regeneration pulses also raise temperatures in the particulate filter, which automatically burns off the accumulated deposits.
