Mercedes BlueTEC added to SUV range

Mercedes-Benz is continuing its diesel initiative in the USA with three new SUVs equipped with the world’s latest and cleanest diesel engine. The new models R 320 BlueTEC, ML320 BlueTEC and GL320 BlueTEC will initially be available exclusively in America. They are powered by an up-to-date V6 engine featuring the environmentally friendly Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC technology, with whose help the diesel cars produced by the Stuttgart manufacturer already count as the world’s cleanest. The new models are equipped with AdBlue injection, which has already been demonstrating its exemplary effectiveness and economy in Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses for a number of years. As a result the three new SUVs achieve even lower emissions, are able to better the stringent Bin 5 limits applicable in the USA, and also have the potential to meet the coming EU6 standards. All three of these new SUVs have also been significantly upgraded with much more extensive standard equipment, and now offer even more comfort together with unique safety features. With these diesel vehicles Mercedes-Benz is once again underlining its status as the technological leader. The new models will be available in the USA from autumn 2008.

In October 2006, Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer to commence a BlueTEC initiative in the passenger car segment which was timed to coincide with the introduction of low-sulphur fuel in the United States of America. The E320 BlueTEC proved a great success from the outset, and was voted "World Green Car of the Year 2007". As a next step, Mercedes-Benz is now due to offer the R, ML and GL320 BlueTEC in the USA, the world’s first three diesel cars which not only meet the particularly demanding criteria of the American Bin 5 standard, but also have the potential to fulfil the stringent EU6 standard due in the future – and which therefore considerably better all the current, worldwide exhaust emission standards for diesel passenger cars.

With attributes such as excellent pulling power, economy and a high output, the diesel engine has also proved an attractive alternative to the spark-ignition engine in the USAin times of increasing fuel prices and growing sensitivity to the issue of CO2 emissions. In the land of large minivans, pickups and SUVs, and the given driving conditions characterised by steady cruising speeds on the high-ways and enormous overland distances, the diesel is able to show its advantages particularly well. At the same time, American legislation sets very strict emission standards for diesel-powered vehicles. This is why Mercedes-Benz introduced the E320 BlueTEC with its in-house BlueTEC technology in America first, and is now including a variant of this BlueTEC technology with AdBlue injection in its cross-Atlantic range. This innovative drive technology enables these large and powerful SUVs to meet the limits imposed by the US Bin 5 standard.

Impressive power, great fuel economy and extremely low emissions The muscular V6 diesel engine powering the new BlueTEC models in the GL, M and R-Class shows that a low fuel consumption and very low emissions are also possible for large SUVs. It has an output of 155 kW/211 hp and develops a torque of 540 Nm. Fuel economy is outstanding: the GL320 BlueTEC, for example, consumes just 9.5 litres of diesel fuel per 100 kilometres (25 mpg). This represents an advantage of around 20 to 40 percent versus a comparable petrol model, and easily makes the Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTEC the most economical full-size SUV in the USA.

Key technical data at a glance:

Cylinders V6 Valves per cylinder 4 Displacement cc 2987 Bore x stroke mm 83 x 93 Compression ratio 1:16.5 kW/hp at rpm 155/210 at 3400 Nm at rpm 540 at 1600 – 2400

Certain features of the six-cylinder diesel engine had to be modified for use in the new models ML 320 BlueTEC, GL320 BlueTEC and R320 BlueTEC with AdBlue injection. The piston crowns were revised for an improved mixture formation, and the compression ratio was reduced from 17.7 to 16.5. The VNT turbocharger and engine control unit were also improved and reconfigured. All three of the new SUVs are available only with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission.

Nitrogen oxides drastically reduced with BlueTEC As a modular concept for an effective reduction in the fuel consumption and emissions of diesel vehicles, the BlueTEC technology developed by Mercedes-Benz puts in place a number of coordinated measures which both minimise untreated emissions using in-engine features and ensure efficient exhaust gas aftertreatment. All relevant emissions components are successively and concertedly reduced to a minimum, in part by using an oxidising catalytic converter and a particulate filter. The most important goal is to achieve a drastic reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, the only exhaust gas constituent which has inherently higher levels in diesel engines than in petrol engines. Mercedes-Benz has developed two versions to this end. In the E320 BlueTEC Saloon available in the USA and the E300 BlueTEC sold in Europe, an oxidising catalytic converter and a particulate filter are combined with a particularly durable NOx storage-type catalytic converter and a special SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) converter. The second BlueTEC version is used for the new GL320 BlueTEC, ML320 BlueTEC and R320 BlueTEC models. In this case AdBlue, an aqueous urea solution is injected into the stream of exhaust gases. This releases ammonia, of which 80 percent is reduced to form harmless nitrogen and water by the downstream SCR converter.

R320 BlueTEC, ML320 BlueTEC and GL320 BlueTEC: The cleanest solution: Mercedes-Benz to introduce the first diesel models with AdBlue injection in America

Mercedes-Benz is continuing its diesel initiative in the USA with three new SUVs equipped with the world&rsquos latest and cleanest diesel engine. The new models R320 BlueTEC, ML320 BlueTEC and GL320 BlueTEC will initially be available exclusively in America. They are powered by an up-to-date V6 engine featuring the environmentally friendly Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC technology, with whose help the diesel cars produced by the Stuttgart manufacturer already count as the worlds cleanest. The new models are equipped with AdBlue injection, which has already been demonstrating its exemplary effectiveness and economy in Mercedes-Benz trucks and buses for a number of years. As a result the three new SUVs achieve even lower emissions, are able to better the stringent Bin 5 limits applicable in the USA, and also have the potential to meet the coming EU6 standards. All three of these new SUVs have also been significantly upgraded with much more extensive standard equipment, and now offer even more comfort together with unique safety features. With these diesel vehicles Mercedes-Benz is once again underlining its status as the technological leader. The new models will be available in the USA from autumn 2008.

In October 2006, Mercedes-Benz was the first manufacturer to commence a BlueTEC initiative in the passenger car segment which was timed to coincide with the introduction of low-sulphur fuel in the United States of America. The E320 BlueTEC proved a great success from the outset, and was voted "World Green Car of the Year 2007". As a next step, Mercedes-Benz is now due to offer the R, ML and GL320 BlueTEC in the USA, the world&rsquos first three diesel cars which not only meet the particularly demanding criteria of the American Bin 5 standard, but also have the potential to fulfil the stringent EU6 standard due in the future &ndash and which therefore considerably better all the current, worldwide exhaust emission standards for diesel passenger cars.

With attributes such as excellent pulling power, economy and a high output, the diesel engine has also proved an attractive alternative to the spark-ignition engine in the USA in times of increasing fuel prices and growing sensitivity to the issue of CO2 emissions. In the land of large minivans, pickups and SUVs, and the given driving conditions characterised by steady cruising speeds on the high-ways and enormous overland distances, the diesel is able to show its advantages particularly well. At the same time, American legislation sets very strict emission standards for diesel-powered vehicles. This is why Mercedes-Benz introduced the E320 BlueTEC with its in-house BlueTEC technology in America first, and is now including a variant of this BlueTEC technology with AdBlue injection in its cross-Atlantic range. This innovative drive technology enables these large and powerful SUVs to meet the limits imposed by the US Bin 5 standard.

Impressive power, great fuel economy and extremely low emissions:

The muscular V6 diesel engine powering the new BlueTEC models in the
GL, M and R-Class shows that a low fuel consumption and very low emissions are also possible for large SUVs. It has an output of 155 kW/211 hp and develops a torque of 540 Nm. Fuel economy is outstanding: the GL320 BlueTEC, for example, consumes just 9.5 litres of diesel fuel per 100 kilometres (25 mpg). This represents an advantage of around 20 to 40 percent versus a comparable petrol model, and easily makes the Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTEC the most economical full-size SUV in the USA.

Key technical data at a glance:

Cylinders V6
Valves per cylinder 4
Displacement cc 2987
Bore x stroke mm 83 x 93
Compression ratio 1:16.5
kW/hp at rpm 155/210 at 3400
Nm at rpm 540 at 1600 &ndash 2400

Certain features of the six-cylinder diesel engine had to be modified for use in the new models ML320 BlueTEC, GL320 BlueTEC and R320 BlueTEC with AdBlue injection. The piston crowns were revised for an improved mixture formation, and the compression ratio was reduced from 17.7 to 16.5. The VNT turbocharger and engine control unit were also improved and reconfigured. All three of the new SUVs are available only with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission.

Nitrogen oxides drastically reduced with BlueTEC:

As a modular concept for an effective reduction in the fuel consumption and emissions of diesel vehicles, the BlueTEC technology developed by Mercedes-Benz puts in place a number of coordinated measures which both minimise untreated emissions using in-engine features and ensure efficient exhaust gas aftertreatment. All relevant emissions components are successively and concertedly reduced to a minimum, in part by using an oxidising catalytic converter and a particulate filter. The most important goal is to achieve a drastic reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, the only exhaust gas constituent which has inherently higher levels in diesel engines than in petrol engines. Mercedes-Benz has developed two versions to this end. In the E320 BlueTEC Saloon available in the USA and the E300 BlueTEC sold in Europe, an oxidising catalytic converter and a particulate filter are combined with a particularly durable NOx storage-type catalytic converter and a special SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) converter.

The second BlueTEC version is used for the new GL320 BlueTEC, ML320 BlueTEC and R320 BlueTEC models. In this case AdBlue, an aqueous urea solution is injected into the stream of exhaust gases. This releases ammonia, of which 80 percent is reduced to form harmless nitrogen and water by the downstream SCR converter.

So, if you are itching to get your hands of one of these, you're gonna have to wait because an insider from Mercedes said its being tweaked even more so its cleaner. Expect the SUV's to arrive in Europe in 2009.