AshleyAlissa

Mercedes today has officially taken the wraps of their newest diesel engine generation – one that will be launched starting in autumn 2008. While the new engine will replace four of Mercedes' current diesel powerplants and be featured on a number of different Mercedes models, including the E-Class, the GLK-Class and the E-Class Coupé (yes, you heard me right – an E-Class Coupé is coming), the engine will first make its debut on the new C-Class pictured before you: a model that's being called the C 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Prime Edition. And I have to tell you, the figures are impressive, to say the least.

http://emercedesbenz.com/Sep08/10_00...e_Edition.html

dieseldoc

The car is actually a c250cdi not c350cdi

AkaSigFreak

Nice.
I really love the new mirrors on the 09's.

skillz1318

I think I am prob the minority as I do like the mirrors on the 08's...

FrankW

the mirror will probably come in late-09. it's smaller and I like it. will change it out if it's possible when they are available.

QQQ

5,000 unit production? That is very small.

wblynch

I wish this engine had been available this year...

hmc

benzworld.org and mbworld.org are heavily overlapped.
Why don't we merge to make it one stop shopping?

lx Raven xl

They are available in Europe now for 500 euros.. I would rather spend this money on a newer version of the car in 2010

FrankW

500 euros...i'll spend it on something else i guess. that's a little too much. lol

Carsy

You blokes crack me up. Here is a thread on a major new hi tech & fuel efficient engine development & we talk of how nice the mirrors look One would not think that fuel prices are at a record high & that global warming is threatening our planet.

Untertürkheim

Fantastic! We can only hope it comes to the US, and soon.

lx Raven xl

lol yah but lests just not forget the mirrors.

I actually will by this car next if the fuel consumption is that low and if i like the engine ( I am planing to buy a bigger engine next time ) and if road tax is not that high. Amsterdam is the most expensive place for fuel in the whole world. This car would make a lot of difference.

yxc145

don't like the mirror nor the single exhaust outlet.
but the MPG is impressive!!!

jrct9454

My dealer has said for some time that they are expecting the new 4cyl diesel in the C and GLK by 2010. The salesman I talked to thinks the announcement for the US market will come no later than the NY Show, which is next April.

I'm more than ready....already have plans for an OSD on this car in late 2010 [2011 model year].

And by the way, the reference in the article to 5000 cars refers to the special edition that has the extra body pieces, special trim, etc., not to eventual mass production models.

Derspeed

I love the mirrors, but the turn signals are ugly. The mileage is good, but can it really make up for the higher cost of a diesel car and the higher cost of the diesel itself? Seriously, make me understand the attraction. I am not trying to be a jerk. I really want to know.

I know I'll be in trouble for saying this, but I have heard claim after claim about cleaner diesel engines, but it seems like most are puffing black oily smoke after few years.

Carsy

Diesels usually give around 30% increased economy when compared with petrol. So the cost of diesel would have to be 30% dearer at the pump for nil gain. Diesel engined cars do sometimes cost more than their petrol counterparts . You will have to do your maths on how long it will take to cover any extra costs.

The modern diesel engine definitely does not puff black smoke. Clever electronic engine management does not allow this to happen. My 220 CDI W204 C Class diesel exhaust is so clean it smells more like LPG than diesel

The 2008 diesel C Class is more highly thought of by motoring writers than the petrol 4 cyl compressor . The massive 400 NM of torque ( V8 territory) at 2000 RPM really suits the auto gearbox making the car very responsive.ie 0-60 in 8.4 seconds.

I could not be happier with my little diesel & feel like its my birthday every time I drive it!!

Will617

The MPG progress is excellent.

I would like to take one for a test drive to feel its power.

I love the power of my C350 while still getting 25+ MPG

JimPap

That was my initial reaction too.

Question is "how well would a manual transmission diesel" be accepted is probably the issue they're testing.

I think what helps the '08 C cars get good highway mileage is that it doesn't go into 7th gear (automatic) till around 53-55 miles per hour. Since most of us drive at 72-75 when possible, could they not add an 8th gear that kicks in at that level to reduce the engine RPM???? or would that not work?

QQQ

Any case, 45 mpg is impressive. Hope it will come to Canada.

Untertürkheim

Well, since the car will debut in Europe, where everyone buys manual, I do not think that will be an issue.

Also, the cars are geared now do that 7th results in such a low rpm (it is an overdrive as I know, maximum speed can be reached in 6th) that adding an 8th for lower rpm would make the car undrivable.

chilledbenz

Yeah keep in mind that the price of the diesel engine will be more than its gasoline counter part. It also costs more to service the diesel engine, such as using more oil than its gasoline counter part. Plus this is the new BlueTEC version and will require a urea tank to be filled at each servicing too. To me with all this added cost, plus the fact that gasoline prices have dropped and are now cheaper than diesel prices and I already get mid 30's in mpg, the addition of a few more mpg most likely won't balance out the price I have to pay for the engine or its maintenance.

There is also a review of a GLK BlueTEC in the newest Car and Driver in which they fell in love with all the torque, but found out that at highway speeds you have to plan two car lengths ahead if you want to pass as the power at higher rpms just isn't there (210 hp, all the torque is given in the first two gears). This car will be a welcomed site to those Europeans where gasoline is more per gallon than diesel, but in the States it just doesn't add up for me, unless your one of those people that loves to brag about every single mpg you get per tank no matter how much you paid to get it.

Carsy

I have owned a diesel car now for 14 years & 260,000 km & have found that very little servicing is required. It has never needed to go back to the dealer for a tune, has the original exhaust system , fuel pump & injectors . Just the normal oil filter , oil & air cleaner filter require changing. No spark plugs or problems with high voltage components for petrol spark cars.
Only 6.6 litres of oil is used in the 2008 220 CDi . Urea is basically a common fertilizer so the tank will be very cheap to fill.
What a major problem having to plan 2 car lengths ahead to overtake . If one drives like this, economy is not a factor in your decision to buy a fuel saving car anyway.

GM, Ford & Chrysler are in deep financial difficulty simply because that they have not produced fuel efficient smaller vehicles in these times of realisation that petrol & diesel fuel supply in finite.To counter this in Australia GMH are planning to introduce some diesel powered vehicles . Ford has introduced the Belguim made diesel Mondeo .

Carsy

Hello Jim, At 110 km /Hr ie approx 68 mph my 220CDI engine is only turning at 2000 rpm which is at maximum torque of 400 NM with a 5 speed auto . I would not think it would be necessary to have an 8th gear . The engine is at peak efficiency but driving at 75mph is not a very economical speed due to wind drag.

wblynch

It beats the hell out of driving a Prius!

I'll be first in line to buy a diesel C-class in the US as soon as I can.

I only wish they'd give us the Estate!