The Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC was named the “2007 World Green Car” today at a breakfast awards ceremony during the 2007 New York International Auto Show.
Mercedes-Benz BLUETEC, distinguished as the world’s cleanest diesel technology, is able to meet the world’s most stringent emissions regulations. The BLUETEC concept utilizes state-of-the-art diesel technology featuring common-rail direct injection. Fuel consumption in these diesel vehicles is 20 to 40 percent lower than in cars equipped with a comparable gasoline engine, and torque, the key indicator of engine power, is 30 to 50 percent higher.
BLUETEC- A Modular Technology
BLUETEC is a modular concept that utilizes several coordinated technical measures to minimize emissions within the engine and also provide for effective exhaust gas treatment downstream. The process involves consistently reducing all relevant emission components to a minimum. The system for passenger cars includes an oxidation catalytic converter and a particulate filter in addition to new techniques for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions.
BLUETEC technology is especially important for lowering nitrogen oxide emissions, which is the last type of exhaust gas that’s higher in diesel vehicles than gasoline engines. Until recently, the only real remaining disadvantage of diesel engines as compared to gasoline engines was in the area of particulates and nitrogen oxides. However, Mercedes-Benz set the standard for modern diesel drive systems in the fall of 2003, when it introduced the maintenance-free particulate filter in Europe as part of the EU4 emission standards. Despite reducing diesel emissions by 75 percent over the past 15 years, the company is going further.
The E320 BLUETEC achieves significantly better fuel mileage and longer cruising range (up to 700 miles) than a comparable gasoline-powered luxury car, but more important, it does it without the usual tradeoffs of diesel ownership. Additionally, the E320 BLUETEC is an impressive performance car, powered by 3.0-liter V6 with 208 horsepower and 400 lb-FT. of torque accelerating from 0-60 mph in just 6.6 seconds.
World Green Car Criteria
To be eligible for the 2007 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to be all-new or substantially revised, in production, and for sale, in at least one major market during 2006. Either the vehicle or the green technology could be experimental or a prototype with near-future application, provided that it was released for individual or press fleet evaluations in quantities of ten or more during 2006.
The World Car of the Year Awards program is initiated by, organized by, and conducted by, automotive journalists from around the globe. A non-profit association guided by a steering committee of journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America administers the awards program.