Greg Jarem
Green Machines: Diesel: New Tech, Bluetec
April 1, 2007
Only a few kilometers from Reykjavík’s city center—which looks more like a prosperous fishing village than a nation’s capital—Iceland’s roads become startlingly less sophisticated. At first, the difference isn’t too dramatic. Paved two-lane roads narrow to single lanes, while still accommodating traffic in both directions; drivers must pay close attention to ubiquitous blindhaed signs warning of blind rises in the hilly countryside. Go a little farther, though, and the scenery becomes decidedly rustic: Pavement disappears and gravel-covered paths quickly devolve into rock-strewn tracks winding through an otherworldly landscape. One moment it looks like the surface of the moon; turn a corner and you’re facing a fjord or gently rolling hills. Here, SUVs are more a necessity than a fashion statement, a reality that made the island a natural venue for Mercedes-Benz to launch its turbodiesel GL320 CDI.
While navigating the rough tracks in this surreal environment, I had to
remind myself with some regularity that the 3-liter V-6 under the hood of a
Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI
($53,175) was a diesel. (The same engine appears in the $44,455 ML320 CDI.) If your idea of driving a
diesel includes clattering idles, nonexistent acceleration, and omnipresent
trails of sulfuric exhaust, think again—this engine is a smooth operator and the
refined delivery of its 215 hp and 398 ft lbs of torque through a 7-speed
automatic transmission brings performance within striking distance of its
gas-powered competition. Strong—though not blazingly fast—acceleration feels
class-competitive, and the big SUV still returns an EPA-estimated 25 mpg on the
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The Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec adds strong performance and clean
emissions to the classic diesel virtues of fuel economy and durability. Photograph by Greg Jarem. (Click image to enlarge)
Excellent insulation keeps the noise of an idling engine out of
the cabin, and anyone outside the car will hear only a well-muted clatter,
barely more noticeable than the sound of the low-lying, powder-blue waterfall
that burbled along one stretch of rural road for a full two kilometers. Even
better, the exhaust from a GL320 CDI is much cleaner than in the days of yore—a
filter reduces particulate emissions by 99 percent—and free from the sulfuric
smell endemic to diesels you might remember from the 1970s.
A month later, in stark contrast to the watery Icelandic
scenery, I find myself speeding across the Nevada desert at the wheel of another
new diesel-powered car from Mercedes-Benz: the E320 Bluetec. Released last
October to coincide with the introduction of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) in
the United States, the sedan showcases diesel emissions technology even more
advanced than that used on the GL320 CDI. In concert with ULSD fuel, the Bluetec
system significantly reduces carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, particulate matter,
and nitrogen oxide emissions, with a particulate filter and a series of
catalytic converters. Simply put, cars equipped with Bluetec are almost as clean
as gasoline-powered cars and retain all of a diesel’s added economy and
durability.
The E320 Bluetec (which, at $52,325, carries a $1,000 premium
over the E350) shares the GL320 CDI’s general refinement, and could also be
mistaken for a gasoline-powered car were it not for the distinctive—though
unobtrusive—sound of its engine and the occasional turbo lag when accelerating
from a stop. The latter seems to be an acceptable trade-off when I’m approaching
Las Vegas and glance from the speedometer needle—which points to 85 mph—to the
35 mpg instant fuel economy readout. With a 21.1-gallon gas tank, the E320
Bluetec has a theoretical range of over 700 miles on a single tank, and our
extensive route, which included visits to the Hoover Dam and Zion National Park,
barely budged the fuel gauge’s needle.
The fuel economy advantages of diesel engines may not seem so
important in an era of relatively inexpensive crude oil and gasoline. However,
if your travel plans include driving for long stretches in the Nevada desert—or
off-road adventuring through the unpaved reaches of the Land of Fire and
Ice—remember that better fuel economy means a longer round-trip to and from the
middle of nowhere.
Mercedes-Benz
800.367.6372
www.mbusa.com
SPECIFICATIONS:
Price: $52,325
Engine: 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6
Transmission: 7 speed automatic
Power: 208 hp @ 3,800 rpm
Torque: 388 ft Ibs @ 1,600 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,860 Ibs
Zero-to-60 mph: 6.9 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Range: 700 miles
Average fuel consumption: 26 mpg (city)/ 37 mpg (highway)
Pro: You can drive from Los Angeles to Oregon without having a stop for gas.
Con: The Bluetec diesel system is still not available in the S-class.
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