As with any hybrid, the first question that must be addressed is precisely how efficient the S 400 BlueHYBRID really is. The answer, according to NEDC fuel consumption ratings, is 7.9-liters per 100 kilometers (about 30 mpg) – a figure that makes the S 400 BlueHYBRID the most economical luxury saloon with a spark-ignition engine on the planet. To achieve such impressive figures, Mercedes engineers began with a model you're already familiar with – the S 350 – and subsequently re-engineered its 3.5-Liter V6 petrol engine; added an additional magneto-electric motor; reconfigured the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission for the hybrid module; and threw in a high-voltage lithium ion battery, a transformer and new operating and control electronics for good measure.
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