It begins with the press of a key. There is a subtle welcome chirp and a flash of the lights. I grab the door handle, its shape molded to fit my hand. The handle is protected against ring finger scratching with a chrome strip.

Entering the cabin, I slide on to the seat, engage the key and the engine responds immediately. Despite not yet having left my garage, the music from the satellite radio comes through clearly. Looking across the dash, I quickly appreciate the flowing design and careful craftsmanship. Then, I release the brake and engage drive. We're off !

The car responds to the throttle with authority. There is never any shortage of power. The torque reserve seems limitless, as the smooth 7 speed transmission shifts up and down intuitively. But then, when I decide to manually shift, the transmission responds instantly, with the computer selecting the appropriate gear.

Out on the highway is where one needs to take the Bluetec to fully appreciate its remarkable performance potential. Pull out to pass at 80 kph and floor it, the car shoots ahead quickly to reach 120 or 140. The passing power is astounding; you can feel your back being pressed into your seat as the car rockets ahead ! Now, you begin to understand what 400 lbs/ft of torque really means.

Driving on the highway or around town, there is never any clue that under the hood lies a V6 diesel. Only at idle with a window open is there a muted clatter. At highway speeds, this car is so quiet and stable. The steering is very direct and accurate and the brakes respond with appropriate authority.

Inside the cabin, the driver and passengers are rewarded with very comfortable seats and superb ergonomics. The all-round visibility is especially good. When parking, this design feature is really appreciated and aided by the excellent parktronic system with its clever combination of lights and sound.

There are so many well designed features about this E Class. A couple of interior ones are worth mentioning; a small, spring-loaded drawer, in the dash, that holds sunglasses and the console button to drop down the rear headrests. Then, there is the optional panoramic roof. This is a brilliant feature. On the wet grey days, so common to our northwest climate, the extra light that comes into the cabin is a welcome benefit. But on sunny days with the roof opened, it functions well with very little turbulence even up to speeds of 120 kph. Another well designed feature is the fold down rear seats which, together with the large trunk, make for a very commodious and flexible cargo carrier.

Looking at the exterior, I really appreciate the well-proportioned shape. There are no excess lines or bulges. The sculpting of the body has been beautifully realized. I am convinced that the current E Class is a paramount design which will remain so for years to come. On a bright day, the flawless paint and the beauty of the Flint grey colour is most evident.

Having driven my Bluetec for three months now, I am persuaded that it offers a unique combination of performance, outstanding fuel economy, handling, comfort, safety and styling that no other car available in North America can match. This why, when driving my car, I really do feel I'm in Bluetec Heaven !

 

Beautifully written.

 

Hi Derek. I am very pleased to see you love your car and I love your summary. As you know I have owned my Bluetec Heaven only three weeks more than you, however my odometer is getting close to 7000 miles, that is over 10,000km; I am still having loads of fun driving to work.

I am sure there must be more Bluetec owners; very few have reported here.

 

Great post! I can't wait till the Bluetec's are offered in California. I'm pretty sure that will be my next purchase, probably for my parents. Either the E320 or the S300/400 (if they are offered in the U.S.) and Bluetec Hybird if available.

 

what is bluetec now?

 

From the MB site.
The 2008 E320 BLUETEC Desan
The breakthrough BLUETEC® clean diesel technology in the E320 BLUETEC Sedan1 — winner of the 2007 World Green Car award — blends fuel efficiency and low noise to rival a hybrid without sacrificing power, while significantly reducing the soot and pollutants often associated with diesel engines via specialized filters and catalytic converters. This powerful and efficient diesel luxury sedan also offers performance, comfort, and stylish sophistication.

Engine3.0L 24-valve V-6 diesel engine
Net power210 hp @ 3,800 rpm
Net torque400 lb-ft @ 1,600 - 2,400 rpm

Since I drive the above car, I know it is a rocket: 70mph at ~ 1800rpm; sheer quiet power, no real diesel chatter or tell tale signs.

 

I am at this very moment at the dealer having the first "free" service done on my '07 bluetec. I am very pleased with the car and looking forward to pilling on the miles. Glad I made the move to the Bluetec.

 

Cracked up the front end on my bluetec last night, I hit a guy that made an abrupt stop for another car to turn, but still my fault. I miss it already and will likely take weeks to get it back from the body shop.!

 

What a shame

 

It brought a tear to my eye!

 

Back on the road, $9K later. I think there's 2 Mercedes in AR, I passed an S600 on the way in to work.

 

Hopefully, all's well that ends well !!
By the way, I just returned from a trip with stopovers in Amsterdam, where I rode in four taxis to and from the airport. Each time, I was driven in a late model E Class diesel. In each case, the taxi driver said that the E Class diesel was the most reliable and efficient car for a taxi, never mind the very comfortable back seat for the passengers.

 

Just picked up my Black 2008 E320 Bluetec today. I also have a 2006 C230 Sport, the E320 drives beautiful and as someone stated earlier it has plenty of power to pass on the highway, looking forward to putting more miles on her over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

 

You should install the KD-BOX for even better passing power. I recently installed it when my Bluetec crossed 10000 miles. More smooth power and even better mpg.

 

where do you get a KD box? and when is a good time to install it as far as milage goes?

 

Order it from Kleeman USA. I installed it after 10,000 miles; I gave the engine adequate time to break in. I am sure you could install it at a lesser mileage but I have no specific information available. Play it safe.

 

Could you please provide a comparison of both cars? Thanks I thought that I wanted an E but I am migrating back to a C. I do mostly around town driving with a 5 mile each way highway commute to work. I do take 5 hour trips on the holidays.

 

The E 320 Bluetec is a little larger then the C230 sport and has a noticable power advantage, both have similar ride comfort honestly I think the C is a little quiter inside the cabin while driving. I haven't had the E to long to give a real good comparison, as I drive the E a little more I will post a better comparison.I can tell you the E gets better gas milage then the C, I like both cars but the C has better braking then the E, maybe it's because it is lighter not really sure.

 

Coming from a BMW 335i, I was at first quite disappointed in the braking performance of my E320 Bluetec. However, as the mileage increases, the braking feels less soft and more responsive. It is still not as good as the BMW, but certainly better than it was initially.
The rotors on the Bluetec are exactly the same as the ones used on the non-sport E350; I did discuss a possible upgrade to the larger E350 sport rotors, but my dealer advised me that the warranty on the entire braking system would be rendered invalid if modifications were made.

 

Perhaps it is due to the mileage I have covered in my Bluetec, I think the brakes are awesome. A couple of days ago I was doing what I should not have been, giving an interview while driving on the Garden State Parkway on my way home in heavy traffic (5 lanes). I agressively changed lanes at a higher than usual speed and did not see a vehicle grind to a stop in the lane; I hit the brakes hard and stopped just inches from his bumper; these brakes are good. btw I wash the brakes every week (800 miles) to clean out the brake dust; perhaps that helps. I am having loads of fun here Derek. Crossed 14,000 miles this week.