Heck with the diesel! Where's the AMG??!!

Just kidding, guys

 

I don't see MBUSA selling any of the new generation V6 diesels until at least Dec 2006 because they need the new low sulphur diesel to function. If Mercedes is smart they'll make sure every major market/city has been using the new diesel for at least a month to make sure no diesel MB buyers suffers engine damage to their new 50K+ vehicle! Could you imagine what would happen to Mercedes' already battered reliability rating if they start selling diesels too early and they start dying all over the country? Disaster!

My guess is we'll see a CDI E320, ML320 first in Nov/Dec and then a R320 and GL320 after the first of the year 2007 and a S320 in the first quarter of 2007. The demand will be there I think so there is no need to rush this process. The re-launching of diesels in this country has to be done without a glitch if Mercedes is to restore their overall rep for quality and get people to buy diesels over hybrids.

M

 

M, so let's look up some numbers.

Last year more folks in the USA bought diesels than hybrids. Surprised me a bit when I looked it up since hybrids seem to be mentioned much more often in the press.

diesel vehicles sold in the USA in 2005: 543,000
hybrid vehicles sold in the USA in 2005: 205,749

So far the popular vehicle with MB diesel engine is the Sprinter van of which 28,100 were sold last year in North America, including in all 50 states. http://www.whnet.com/4x4/sprinter.html

The E320 CDI didn't do as well as the Sprinter maybe because it's still not offered in all 50 states, or folks are holding out for the facelifted E320 BLUETEC V6 starting in September.

E320 CDI sold in USA in 2005: 4299
E320 CDI sold in USA in 2004: 4158

 

I expect those numbers to go up quite a bit if Mercedes realizes their dream of selling diesels in big MB markets like New York and Cali. Imagine the possibilites and numbers once the E320, ML320, R320, GL320 and even S320 are on sale in every state! What kind of numbers do you think they can get overall with 6 diesels on sale?

Lexus is going for 2000 units of their GS450h, the E320 CDI will easily outsell and get better fuel economy doing so, but with less hp.

M

 

i cant wait for the AMG version of the GL...

... i cant wait for the truck itself!

 

the more i see this GL, the more i like it!

 

agreed.

 

Am I the only one who thinks MB should have kept on making the current (pre-08) one forever??
To me the current G is timeless. And I'd like G to have a little diff interior than ML and R classes. G should have more antique looking interior?

 

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