15 May 06
Greener engines will arrive shortly
By 2008 the E-Class will benefit from Mercedes's new ultra-green Bluetec diesel engine, based on the 3-litre CDi unit, which trades off higher fuel consumption for less polluting emissions.
Closer at hand is a high-pressure, direct injection petrol engine, the CGi, promising up to 15% lower fuel consumption using zero sulphur fuel. The 3-litre V6 generates nearly 20bhp more than a conventional petrol unit. It will appear in the four-door CLS coupe first.
Mercedes claims it will avoid providing fragile high-tech solutions to problems that don't exist. This does not preclude a new intelligent headlamp system for the E-Class, which provides optimum lighting according to driving and weather conditions, adding 10 metres better reach and beam spread in rural conditions and 50m further on motorways. So Mercedes appears to have seen the light...
