That’s right! If you didn’t already realize it, the Popes (past and present) have been big Mercedes-Benz fans. Rumor has it that Pope Benedict XVI will be getting a new plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Benz M-Class. The popemobile has been based off of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, as well as the G-Class in the past, and it looks like this time around, His Holiness is ready to go green! But will he? Read on for more details, courtesy of The New York Times.

Never mind the fact that Mercedes-Benz spokesman, Dan Barile declined to comment about the Pope’s recent special order; if history repeats itself, we’re sure the popemobile will be a Mercedes-Benz! But will it be an M-Class hybrid? Reports are saying that the vehicle’s powertrain will be similar to the Mercedes-Benz Vision S500 plug-in hybrid concept that was on display at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show. That means the new popemobile would be packin’ a 10-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, 60-horsepower electric motor and a V-6 gasoline engine to boot.

Ever since the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II, Popes have had to travel in more secure vehicles. The current popemobile features a tall, bullet-proof glass cabin. The Pope enters at ground level and is then raised by hydraulic lift into the secure cabin.

We here at Ray Catena of Union sure hope the Pope’s next ride is, in fact, a Mercedes-Benz M-Class hybrid. If you’re interested in riding in style like the Pope (well, sort of), visit our NJ Mercedes-Benz dealership and test drive a Mercedes-Benz M-Class today!

For the full article, click here.

Have you heard? Mercedes-Benz will be offering two hybrid models for 2011—the S400 Hybrid luxury sedan and the ML450 Hybrid SUV.

“Characterized as a “mild hybrid,” the S400 HYBRID (335 total hp, 381 lb.-ft. of torque) comes with the world’s first lithium-ion battery designed specifically for automotive use. The light-weight, high-capacity lithium-ion battery powers a 20-horsepower electric motor, which works with a 275-hp V6 gasoline engine to provide impressive fuel economy.

On the SUV side of the Mercedes-Benz family, the ML450 HYBRID comes with two electric motors and a 275-hp V6 gasoline engine that work together to provide impressive hybrid power with fuel economy estimated at 21 miles per gallon around town and 24 mpg on the highway.”

If you check out eMercedesBenz they have an article with more details about both of these Mercedes-Benz hybrid models for 2011!

This is an article we found posted on TreeHugger.  TreeHugger went to Mercedes-Benz World in which Prof. Gorden Wagener, Vice President of Design at Mercedes, spoke about Mercedes-Benz’s electric cars of the future.  Mercedes’ prototype hybrid electric car, the F 800 Style (should be out in five years), as well as the Blue Zero (should be out in two years), was on display.  Wagener stated that the “new luxury” is both sustainability and the green trend.

The TreeHugger article stated: “Cars have to look efficient and in harmony with the environment or else they won’t be admired by society; which is what luxury is all about. He (Wagener) said that in the future they will be selling refined sportiness which will make people feel attractive and youthful.

Mercedes’ multi drive platforms will allow for the use of alternative drive systems: Plug-in Hybrid or Fuel cell drive.

The Plug-in Hybrid will go up to 30 km. when it’s on electric. When the gas kicks in, it will go from zero to 100 km/h in only 4.8 seconds, and its top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. According to the spec. “its drive unit consists of a V6 gasoline engine with an output of approximately 220 kW (300 hp) with next-generation direct injection and a hybrid module with an output of about 80 kW (109 hp) so that it delivers a total power of around 300 kW (409 hp).”

The Fuel-cell (F.Cell) electric has a range of 30 km and it can get from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. Its top speed is limited to 120 km/h.”

To read more about Mercedes-Benz’s future in the electric vehicle market click here.

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.

Here is a YouTube video we found over at Mercedes-Benz TV. Check out the Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid on the streets of NYC. This video gives you a great look into Mercedes’ eco-friendly vehicle and our Blue Efficiency technology!

Here are a few government tips provided by Eco Driving to help you drive green:

-  Avoid “jack rabbit” starts and aggressive driving. Flooring the gas pedal not only wastes gas, but leads to drastically higher pollution rates. One second of high-powered driving can produce nearly the same volume of carbon monoxide emissions as a half hour of normal driving. By driving sensibly, you can save almost 40 percent on gasoline usage each year.

-  Leaving your car at home just two days a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1,500 pounds a year.

-  Think ahead. Try to anticipate stops and let your vehicle coast down as much as possible. Avoid the increased pollution, wasted gas, and wear on your brakes created by accelerating hard and braking hard.

-  Follow the speed limit. Driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph will lower your fuel economy by about 10 percent, and can dramatically increase tailpipe pollution in many vehicles.

-  When possible, plan your trips to avoid rush hour. Stop-and-go driving burns gas and increases emissions of smog-forming pollutants.

-  Combine trips. Warmed-up engines and catalysts generate much less air pollution, so combining several short trips into one can make a big difference.

-  Take a load off. Carrying around an extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy by about one percent. Take a few moments to unload your cargo area.

-  If your vehicle has it, use overdrive gear at cruising speeds. When driving a manual transmission, shift up as soon as possible. Running in a higher gear decreases the rpm and will decrease fuel use and engine wear.

-  Try using the vents and opening windows to cool off before you turn on the air conditioner. Air conditioner use increases fuel consumption, increases NOx emissions in some vehicles, and uses environmentally damaging fluids.

-  Unlike many older cars and trucks, modern vehicles don’t need to warm up and they have automatic chokes, so you don’t need to step on the gas pedal before starting the engine.

Image credit: Keetsa.com

The Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid is a big hit over in Hollywood.  Celebrities such as Robert Downey Jr., Gerard Butler, and other A-listers have been seen driving the luxury hybrid sedan around the Hollywood Hills.  The Mercedes-Benz S400 Hyrbid is not just providing celebs with a luxury vehicle, but also providing an eco-friendly one that takes less of a toll on our environment.

“The new Mercedes-Benz 2010 S400 HYBRID luxury sedan is the vehicle of choice for A-list actors including Robert Downey Jr., who drove the luxury sedan when off-camera while shooting his upcoming film Due Date, and Gerard Butler, among others. The S400 Hybrid made its rounds during the award season as the chic transportation choice among a select group of celebs in the know.

The S400 HYBRID features the world’s first lithium-ion battery in a production hybrid vehicle and the 275-hp V6 gasoline engine provides an impressive estimated 30 miles per gallon on the highway. The ML450 HYBRID mid-size SUV uses a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, two electric motors and sophisticated electronics to produce more than 46 percent better fuel economy than a comparable V8-powered ML550 model, and is the vehicle of choice for international pop star Miley Cyrus.”

To read the rest of the PR Newswire article click here.

Photo credit:  JustJared.com

Today Daimler, who owns Mercedes-Benz, announced that its entire S-Class range may go fully hybrid, including the V8, V12, or AMG variants.  However, this announcement doesn’t come without some criticism from Mercedes-Benz dealers in the United States.  The Car Advice article claims that some dealers do not believe S-class buyers take fuel economy into consideration as a key factor in their  purchasing decisions.  “Mercedes-Benz is also looking at reducing its emissions across the range thanks to stricter European CO2 emissions standards on top of harsher corporate average fuel economy standards in the United States.”  Apparently if this new full hybrid lineup is approved it may be launched in 2013 when the new S-Class series is released.  So what do you all think? Would you welcome a full line of S-Class range hybrids?

We stumbled upon this video on the Mercedes-Benz Blog, and couldn’t wait to share it with you guys!  It’s an interesting look at how Mercedes-Benz designers view the idea of the green automobile.  Follow the concept of Mercedes-Benz environmentally efficient automobiles, which, according to the video does not come in place of, but in addition to the already amazing features each Mercedes-Benz car has to offer.  Check out the video below, or head over to the Mercedes-Benz Blog for more information.

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?