Asked this on the CL board. Saw Blue Efficiency on a lower panel of an MB. Is it common in US based MB's? Is it a good thing (would think so) or if it has it on it in the US, does it mean the car's kinda a grey mkt. version? Tried to Google and got nothing really definitive. Thanks.

 

I believe that is a certification that goes on their high efficiency models, like the A class and some lower end C class models. Usually lower weight cars with smaller engines, often turbo-charged with reduced emissions.

 

I had bluefficiency on my E350 Bluetec. It means they do stuff to the car to improve fuel economy. One thing they did which drove me crazy was more noticeable in the summer.

You start the car with a/c. As soon as you touch the accelerator the fan speed drops to the lowest setting. It will continue to do this until the battery can handle the fan load without the alternator. It appeared that they were disengaging the alternator to drop load on the engine. In doing so, the car started shedding higher load items like the fan.

I live in NC. So I made sure my new car I made sure didn't exhibit this trait.

 

I guess I see the logic of shedding load items, but who the heck cares about efficiency when it 90% humidity and 105* inside the car. Forgive ego, but I don't spend the level of resources we do for this to save 38 cents in gas. Thanks for sharing.

As an aside, I still find "Blue Efficiency" and an MB flagship and horse of a car (CL550) a glaring oxymoron.

 

Yeah I've seen that little emblem on front quarter of S Classes too. At first I thought it meant it was a diesel, but that's not always the case.

 

Called the local MB and the SA said showing the badge Blue Efficiency was/is MB's visual of conveying the firm is doing something to be eco friendlier. He said at some point in 2012 the engines on some were changed. Not truly new engines, as such, but mainly the fuel system and injection, along w/ other tweaks, were put into the assembly. This washes, as the production run # of the one I bought is 30092. Again, seems paradoxical to see something Prius-esque on a CL. End of mystery, I guess. Thanks all for the info. Off to 216-land.

 

I have a 2012 S550 4Matic and it does host the Blue Efficiency badges. To be honest, I drove many 2012 S550s looking for the one I wanted and did not notice really any difference between the Blue Efficiency and non Blue Efficiency.

 

I got that on my car too.