When are Merc going to get greener??

[Micman]

Having had my C-class for a few years now I am starting to think seriously about my next car.

I think I want my next car to be a bit more practical so probably an estate.
I've been looking at all the obvious 'quality' models that would be worthy of consideration against my current Merc.

The new C-class estate
Audi A4 Avant
BMW 3 series touring
VW Passat estate
Volvo V50 estate

Now here's the thing - as a private buyer I have to take the new road tax/emission costs into factor on my new car. (after all my current C180K is going to be £300 per year to tax in 2009).

One thing that jumps out at me is all the manufactures/models I've listed above P*** all over Mercedes when it comes to offering engines with lower emissions and in turn cheaper road tax.

I thought Mercedes were supposed to be out there among the front runners, yet it seems other manufacturers are leaving them standing when it comes to efficient engines. (Volvo has DRIVe, BMW has EfficientDynamics etc)

My question is... Does anyone know when Mercedes are going to launch any lower emission engines in their models????

In an ideal world I want a C-class estate that the government says is as green as a Prius! lol

 

[television]

MB have an green S class later this year and the E class next spring, and lots more to follow. MB car the cars Blue tech

 

[psmart]

Bluefficiency is available on the C200cdi with a 6 speed manual and combined fuel consumption of 5.4l, CO2 of 133 or your model, the C180Kompressor BlueEfficiency Saloon, 6 speed manual, 6.8l consumption, 155 CO2.

 

[popuptoaster]

Its greener to keep an old car running rather than build a new one even though the emissions are worse on older engines.

 

[David Nock]

Its greener to keep an old car running rather than build a new one even though the emissions are worse on older engines.

Very true.

But if a change is desperately needed or wanted, consider Lexus 450GH. It's a largish petrol/hybrid that uses the electric motor torque to get performance rather than parsimony from the hybrid system. At a surprisingly low VED rate as well.
Trouble is the Missus is an out and out CLK fan- so I haven't even been for a Lexus test drive 'cos there's not much point.

 

[television]

These new Blue MB's use a 20hk starter motor to run the car in the blue mode

 

[Rory]

Well, there this:
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/09/mercedes-launch.html


and this - the DiesOtto engines are supposed to be like high power petrol engines but with the economy of small diesels:
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/mercedes-benz-diesotto-engine

..but quite where MB are with these things in terms of actually getting them into cars, I've no idea.

 

[st4]

F*** the CO2 brigade and drive quality car. A few £100 on the VEd bill isn't a huge consideration and your better with a car you really like than an ecobox you don't.

 

[dragon]

The target is 130g/km in 2010. What can you have? Probably a Cencento is what the EC want you to drive. Stuff them with raised VED. It will never end, they want you to scrap your car for better CO2. They don't want you to drive any car.

 

[hardtop]

park under a tree for a year job done it will go very green

 

[dragon]

park under a tree for a year job done it will go very green

Yeah then it will be covered with tree sap. A hard time to clean it up.

 

[st4]

The target is 130g/km in 2010. What can you have? Probably a Cencento is what the EC want you to drive. Stuff them with raised VED. It will never end, they want you to scrap your car for better CO2. They don't want you to drive any car.

All true. They probably would love us all "haves" of this world in some horrid eco eurbox being scared out our wits by average speed camera's and the thread of GPS based road pricing.

If only they persecuted the criminals with the same vigerour.

 

[Xtractorfan]

Well it certainly makes truth of the old saying that necessity is the mother of invention, without the present crisis would they even think about investing in economical 'green 'cars

 

[psmart]

F*** the CO2 brigade and drive quality car. A few £100 on the VEd bill isn't a huge consideration and your better with a car you really like than an ecobox you don't.

I hope your not one of the anti-4x4 brigade! My exact feelings with my ML, but every corner I turned I got lambasted with twaddle about how I was killing the planet!

 

[st4]

I hope your not one of the anti-4x4 brigade! My exact feelings with my ML, but every corner I turned I got lambasted with twaddle about how I was killing the planet!

I had two 4x4's. I loved them for what they were but my reasons for getting rid of them was that I preferred the driving experience of a saloon. Not some eco sh**.

The fuel consumption was so bad that it actually was endearing. It became a laughing point that driving from my house over to Cameron House on Loch Lomand (10 miles) would cost a fiver and see the gauge move. Still at least I got "value" out of my VED

 

[dragon]

At 120mph no wonder you get only 12mpg. At 56mph what mpg will you get?

Nice cars, a pity to get rid of it. No dealer will take it I read in the papers.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

The target is 130g/km in 2010. What can you have? Probably a Cencento is what the EC want you to drive. Stuff them with raised VED. It will never end, they want you to scrap your car for better CO2. They don't want you to drive any car.

Nowt t'do with the EC (EU, actually) - its all down to YOUR Mr Bean and his Band of Lying Robbers.!

Over here (Spain) - 90 Euros for TWO years

 

[dragon]

Not our Mr Bean, EU bureacrac at Brussel.

The European Parliament has pushed through legislation forcing car makers to reduce the CO2 output of new cars within four years.

The move is a blow to European car makers, who had expected the EU proposals to be toned down before coming into effect.

In particular, the influential German car lobby had been placing significant pressure on MEPs to 'water down' the controversial proposals. But European lawmakers dismissed their arguments out of hand.

"The German car lobby... has been sent away with its tail between its legs," Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies told the BBC.



http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/235170/

When Spain joined the EU, you got tons of our money to keep up with our standard of living.

 

[Dosco]

Here Here Jez,

Just wait and see as it all repeats itself once more and more and more as the cost of saving the Banks that 'like to say yes' is finally totaled up and it all will be in the interests of 'going green'

 

[JEZ.S320L]

Not our Mr Bean, EU bureacrac at Brussel.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/235170/

When Spain joined the EU, you got tons of our money to keep up with our standard of living.

And TONS more money to upgrade our roads, to accommodate the trucks for US to ship fruit and veg to YOUR over-priced Supermarkets - Thank You.!!

Oh, and how is Miss-single-parent-from-Afghanistan-living-in-a-multi-million-pound-house-at-YOUR-expense, doing today?

Oh, and how does it feel to part-own a Bank?

I could go on - but I won't.