"GREEN" MERCEDES-BENZ S350 BLUETEC LAUNCHED

Mercedes-Benz has launched what is now termed the cleanest diesel car in its class, the new S350 BlueTec. Notice there is no CDI anywhere near the name, although this is a diesel car. Its cleanliness is guaranteed by a liquid substance called AdBlue emission control which is added to the car.

The S-Class is an iconic luxury sedan whose existence inspired other motor manufacturers to design and build competitors to or near its standards. The current model is said to be the best-selling in the car’s history, a testament to the longevity and sheer class it carries. Normally with such cars South Africans and Americans prefer big petrol engines, probably due to the misplaced belief that diesel is dirty and cluttery and noisy and so on.

Not so with the S350 BlueTec. Starting up the engine through the start button not only gets a quiet response, it also gets one that doesn’t threaten to choke the skies with bad emissions. On a short drive around Gauteng I was able to ascertain the fuel-efficiency and the power it hordes, both of which would normally be associated with a small performance car.

So what makes it extra special, besides the absence of the CDI moniker on the badge? The engine of course, is the main driver, so to speak. It is a 3.0-litre V6 common rail direct injection turbo diesel kicking out 190kW of power, and an extremely impressive 620Nm of torque. Why this is impressive is that it uses only a single turbo to achieve these figures, whereas competitors have to resort to two blowers, especially looking at that torque number.

Power and torque go to the rear wheels through a smooth 7-speed automatic gearbox. Rather keep it full automatic mode and don’t use the paddles behind the wheel, unless of course you specified them for whatever reason.  Performance includes a 0 – 100km/h time of 7.1 seconds and a top whack of 250km/h. C02 emissions average 177g/km, matched with fuel consumption of 6.8 litres per 100km. Putting that into everyday perspective means the S350 BlueTec can travel around 1300km on one single tank of diesel! That means between Jozi and Durban you would only use half a tank. In a Mercedes-Benz S-Class!

Bluetec stands for really clean diesel fuel technology in the Merc world. Its main driver is that liquid called AdBlue which is added to the exhaust mixture via the boot. Basically a trained mechanic during service interval pours it and it flows down and gets rid of up to 80% of harmful gasses as they pass through, just before being released into the helpless atmosphere. The result is that relatively-low 177g/km. Each bottle of AdBlue costs around R90 and lasts up to 20 000km, which is, coincidentally, the service interval. Mercedes-Benz recommends that buyers use only 50ppm diesel which is more widely available at urban forecourts than rural ones.

Being an S-Class, several things stand out. Ride quality is top notch, exactly what you expect from the car. While the suspension is soft, thanks to the AIRMATIC system, it is not necessarily sleep-inducing. Who sleeps with such a kick of 620Nm and 255 horses under the right foot? Everything you expect is there, and more. Standard and optional features include seats that massage both front passengers using different intensity levels. Bluetooth connection is a given, with its ability to connect your mobile phone and allows telephone chats through the car’s sound system. Safe and legal chit chat.

There’s also the split-screen LCD DVD viewer which allows for both front seat passengers to watch two different programmes on one screen. Well, the driver wouldn’t be watching a programme as such, but things like satellite navigation information, fuel consumption, radio functions and the like.

Clean fuels are slowly becoming more widely available. Mercedes-Benz is one of the manufacturers constantly introducing cleaner engines into the market. Good news for well-off people interested in saving the planet by buying cars like the S350 BlueTec.

Pricing

S350 BlueTec (R1 039 754 - incl C02 tax)