Popular Science Honors the E320 CDI Diesel and SLK350 Convertible
NEW YORK, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz garnered two prestigious "Best of What's New" awards today from Popular Science, the oldest and best-known science and technology magazine in the U.S. One award goes to the company's diesel powered E320 CDI, a four-door luxury sedan that can get 37 miles per gallon on the highway with a new CDI electronic injection system that helps make the car quiet, clean and fast.
"A New Generation of Surprisingly Appealing Diesel Vehicles"
According to Popular Science editor Eric Adams, "In the 1970s, Americans had a love/hate relationship with diesel cars. Though more fuel-efficient than their gas cousins, the cars were noisy, underpowered, smog-belching reminders of just how badly the fuel crisis had crippled the nation. By the mid-'90s, lower gas prices all but banished them from U.S. showrooms. Meanwhile European carmakers, spurred by diesel-friendly tax structures, kept at it. They traded sloppy mechanical fuel injection for high-pressure electronic systems that better atomize fuel. Finer droplets burn more completely than a coarse spray, cutting noise and emissions while boosting power. The result: a new generation of surprisingly appealing diesel vehicles." Editor Michael Moyer says, "The best thing about the new E320 CDI is much more primal than better fuel economy. It's thrust. It has 369 pound-feet of torque, 30 more than found in its V8 cousin, pushing it to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The fully electronic common-rail fuel injection system - a first in the U.S. - pressurizes the fuel to 23,000 psi, which allows it to burn more thoroughly, enhancing power and efficiency."
More Comfortable and More Thrilling
The new SLK convertible snagged the other "Best of What's New" award for Mercedes. The original SLK took the roadster world by storm in 1997 with its slick retractable hardtop, and the new-generation car builds on that success with an all-new look that suggests a Formula 1 race car as well as increased power and more room. Moyer says, "Mercedes has made its small roadster both more comfortable and more thrilling. The crisp new SLK350's 3.5-liter V6 incorporates variable valve timing to allow the engine to tune itself for maximum efficiency at low throttle or high speed. The strategy works: Nearly 90 percent of the torque is available at just 1,500 rpm. And you can enjoy a roofless ride year-round, thanks to headrest heaters that blow warm air across your neck."
Bringing "Best of What's New" to Life
The December edition of Popular Science, the magazine's best-read issue, features its Best of What's New coverage. Their editors help bring it to life by taking over Vanderbilt Hall in New York's Grand Central Terminal from November 9th through the 11th for a three-day consumer event that's free to the public. All Best of What's New winners in each category are spotlighted, complete with video presentations and on-site product specialists.
About Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles and Maybach super-luxury cars in the U.S. Headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, MBUSA employs approximately 1,500 people in 20 locations across the U.S. Through a nationwide network of over
300 retailers, Mercedes-Benz USA sold 218,717 vehicles in the U.S. during 2003, setting the highest sales volume in its history for the seventh straight year.SOURCE Mercedes-Benz USA Web Site: