The current Mercedes-Benz S-class will receive an eco boost with the arrival of a four-cylinder diesel version next year, Mercedes' R&D boss Thomas Weber said today. ———- The 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid. ———- The news comes one day after Daimler told Edmunds.com that a new family of engines will emerge from Mercedes-Benz starting late next year that will rely heavily on turbocharging and direct injection to deliver gains in power, efficiency and CO2 reduction. However, no mention was made of the S-class receiving a four-banger. Called the 300 CDI, the new model is expected to be powered by the E250 CDI's 201-horsepower turbodiesel engine ( left) , which generates 384 pound-feet of torque. Weber said that downsizing the S-class diesel proved to be an engineering challenge, due to the NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) issues. Customers don't accept much NVH in Mercedes' top-of-the-line automobiles. Mercedes engineers met the challenge by changing engine mounts and adding body stiffness, Weber said. Daimler decision to put a four-cylinder engine in Mercedes' flagship sedan offers further evidence that the trend for downsizing powertrains includes heavy, premium passenger cars. Audi is also planning to launch a four-cylinder version of its A8 flagship sedan. Both automakers are no doubt responding in part to stringent upcoming fleet-wide emissions regulations that will be adopted by the European Union. The new four-cylinder S-Class
Read the original post:
Mercedes-Benz to Offer S-Class Model Fitted With Four-Cylinder Turbodiesel Engine
Comments on this entry are closed.