dunderhi

Don't sell the regular gas Mercedes idea short. When I did European Delivery on the SL550 this past year, the MB delivery documentation said I could use any gas available for sale in the EU, but when the car reached the US, it would be reprogrammed to run on Premium only.

nantucketsleigh

Kind of surprised no one has focused on impact of the new mileage standards on changes in the MB lineup. I have a feeling that the 420 may in fact replace the 550 sooner than later.

Nevada Jack

Not necessarily in my view. The AMG's and the low gas mileage vehicles could be offset by using more efficient diesels, hybrids and gas/diesel concepts in other model lines. I think the mileage standards are for the complete fleet of a manufacturers builds so the high mileage cars can offset the low mileage cars to meet the new standards.

nantucketsleigh

I haven't seen the details of the new law and don't know if the 40% increase in mileage is a one shot deal or in increments over the years. If it is the latter, replacement of gas with diesel engines in applications where high torque is more desirable than peak HP, seems the best alternative currently available. New technologies will probably take center stage over time but in the intermediate term (for me the long term) the use of every proven fuel saving technology will likely be necessary.

stlduckhunter

For what it is worth, before I ordered my GL320, I had my company Enterprise Fleet Management, sub of Enterprise Rent-a-Car contact MB regarding the GL420. Enterprise purchases a great deal of Mercedes products both here and in the German marketplace and I would believe that they could and would get a straight answer on product availability. The answer coming back was that the GL420 will become available in the US market sometime during the 2009 model year.

scottybdiving

That would be nice.

I thought the legislation just signed was for 40% by 2020.

Nevada Jack

I don't doubt your response from "MB" but I have found over the past 30 years that many sources at "MB" have many different answers as to future plans for specific vehicles.

GL Fahrer

Your "answer" is wrong. Get a better M-B source

RR Mommy

I'm a newbie and getting ready to buy my first MB which will be a GL. I'm a little hung up on all the model options: used GL320CDI (waitlist), GL450 (order it and wait), or GL550. But when I asked one of my local dealers if the GL420 CDI was coming to California they said they won't get any details about them until late summer or early fall so I wouldn't be able to order it until they get the details. Another dealer told me that I could be waiting for years for the 420CDI to come to market which is something I definitely don't want to do.

Is it worth risking the wait for the 420 or better to just waitlist the used certified 320CDI? Or is this all a big pipe dream and I should just order my car and stop wishing for the diesel? I have two small children, 2 large dogs and this will be our main family vehicle for road trips and everyday driving. I average 15,000 miles a year.

I appreciate any and all insights you seasoned MB owners can offer.

LEOSOPHIE

You won't outwait the diesel GL in Ca.

kainep

As Carl Lassiter indicated Diesel is not cheaper in Europe. In the UK Diesel is in fact more expensive than petrol (by around 2%) - in Europe it generally works out at the same price as petrol. Either way the only advantage of a diesel over petrol is mpg increases and range.

by the way the GL420 is superb

RR Mommy

Ahhh. That's what I thought. Guess I should just make a decision on one of the other three.

mortenmol

Not in the UK or schwitzerland, but everywhere else. I Denmark where I live, diesel is currently $0,10 cheaper a litre, and once it gets summer, it will get a lot cheaper than gas.
In the winter the US use a lot of diesel for heating there houses and in the summer they use a lot of gas driving around. Thats why the price difference changes accros the year.
A month a go I payed $1,45 a litre (very cheap) and now I pay almost $2.0

cablvr

Morten,

Although I am not a petro-chemical engineer or economist, I believe the winter increase in demand for fuel oil contributes to the lower supply of diesel resulting in the higher pump price of diesel.

kainep

Thanks Morten - I stand corrected

mortenmol

Exactly my point, maybe I didn't clarify it enough

mortenmol

I my self wash chocked having to pay more for diesel than regular gas.