Here is an article we found over at eMercedesBenz written by Jim Davis.  Sascha Simon, manager of advanced product planning for Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA), gave a speech to young entrepreneurs about America’s transportation woes and the use of gasoline at the Summit Series in Washington D.C.  Simon stated that there will always be a demand for larger vehicles that travel long distances, that wouldn’t be able to rely solely on batteries.  This is the reason why Mercedes-Benz is investing significant resources in hydrogen electric technology.  Simon believes that the new generation of eco-friendly buyers will play a role in shaping the face of transportation from here on out.

“The road to zero emissions is not necessarily as long as most people think. The speed of progress depends on government climate change programs and carbon fuel supplies, but just as important is the customers’ willingness to adopt and embrace alternative fuel vehicles. We also need new and innovative thinking to increase the number of suppliers for these new technologies,” Simon said.

To read the full article click here.

If you have yet to hear the good news, Ray Catena Mercedes-Benz of Union is excited to announce our new offering of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter!  We’re not just a world leader in premium passenger cars, Mercedes-Benz is also the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, setting standards since the first van was created in 1896!  The following excerpts come from an informative article we found over at WardsAuto.com:

During a media preview for the Sprinter, Claus Tritt, vice president-operations for Daimler Vans USA LLC, said that the heart of the truck is the motor and the 2010 model has a lot more heart than its predecessor. The Sprinter motor has 3.0L turbodiesel V-6 which boasts 188 hp and peak torque of 325 lb.-ft (441 Nm) – increases of 34 hp and 40 lb.-ft. (54 Nm), respectively.

“The ’10 Sprinter’s improved performance is expected to be a key selling feature as the van, for the first time in North America, is available as a Mercedes. Since its debut here in 2001, a launch that signaled stark change for the commercial-van segment, the Sprinter was sold under the Dodge banner and the Freightliner brand, which still is owned by Daimler.”

As of today, over one million Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans have been sold worldwide: an impressive testament to our expertise.  If you would like to read the full WardsAuto.com article click here.

Mercedes-Benz has officially confirmed that it will launch its first-ever diesel-electric hybrid in the form of the Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTec Hybrid, according to EMGCarTech.com.  The Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTec Hybrid, which will run on a 2.2 L, 4 cylinder twin turbocharged diesel engine is set to hit highways in 2011.  We’re so excited about green living these days, and couldn’t be happier that Mercedes-Benz is paving the way in diesel-electric hybrid cars.  What do you guys think of going green in this car?

Fresh off the press this morning at 4wheelsnews is an announcement that Mercedes-Benz has  revealed today its latest version of the classic G-Class off-roader, now in its 31st year, features state-of-the-art BlueTEC technology.

For those who don’t know BlueTEC is a technology developed by the German manufacturer in order to reduce diesel vehicle emissions, especially nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The new G 350 BlueTEC uses AdBlue, an aqueous urea solution which is injected into the exhaust-gas stream. This process releases ammonia, which means that 80 percent of the nitrogen oxides are converted into harmless nitrogen and water by a process of reduction in the downstream SCR catalytic converter.

All of you know that the G-Class is used in remote areas of the world, this is one of its main purposes, and due to this the German engineers integrated an AdBlue filler cap in the vehicle’s outside tank recess. With this filter cap, the manufacturer says that one full tank of AdBlue is enough for around 12,000 kilometres.

Regarding the engine, the car uses a V6 diesel capable to deliver 155 kW (210 hp) at 3400 rpm and a torque of 540 Nm between 1600 and 2400 rpm. The engine delivers substantially fewer emissions than the previous G 350 CDI model and reduces NOx emissions by around 50 %. The Mercedes-Benz G 350 BlueTEC can be ordered in three body variants: a short-wheelbase Station Wagon, long-wheelbase Station Wagon and Convertible.

For those who don’t want a green car, they can always switch to the powerful powerful 5.5 litre V8 petrol engine developing 285 kW (388 hp) with a torque of 530 Nm or chose the powerful G55 AMG with its V8 supercharged engine developing 373 kW (507 hp) with an impressive peak torque of 700 Nm.

The standard specification of the G 350 BlueTEC includes includes the electronically controlled traction system 4ETS, the Electronic Stability Program ESP and three differential locks selectable at the push of a button, alongside the permanent all-wheel drive with off-road ratio and the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission.