Sporting diesel delights from Mercedes
Mar 9 2005
Daily Post

IMAGINE a diesel-engined Ferrari, Porsche or Aston Martin. Sounds unlikely, but so does an oil-burning Mercedes SL roadster. Yet this is precisely what Mercedes has unveiled at last week's Geneva Motor Show as part of a triple whammy of diesel delights. Diesel power has been slipped beneath the bonnets of the SL and SLK roadsters and also the CLK cabriolet.

In the case of the SLK the car is so powerful that Mercedes has given it the same macho body styling as the flagship SLK 55 AMG version. Called the SLK 320 CDI, it uses a three-litre V6 engine with three turbochargers to generate a whopping 286bhp. Performance is genuinely in the supercar class with a 0-60mph acceleration time of just over five seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

Such is the power of the engine that the rev counter has now become an important feature, just like that of a petrol model, with the red line for changing gear rising to 5,000rpm.

The unusual engine technology involves the use of three turbochargers, with a pair of small ones operating at low engine speeds and a larger one taking over when the throttle is floored.

Whilst economy is not in the 50mpg or 60mpg class of some modern diesels, it is a creditable 35mpg or so, which is impressive considering the prodigious performance on offer.

It is a similar story with the new SL 400 CDI, which uses a four-cylinder V8 engine to endow the car with a 0-60mph acceleration time of 5.8 seconds and a 155mph top speed.

The CLK 320 CDI convertible uses a less powerful version of the three-litre V6 engine to give a 0-60mph time of eight and a half seconds, a top speed of 152mph and economy nudging 40mpg.

Typo aside>>>>> I want one.

I was toying with the idea of putting a 617 or 603 in a 1976 450SL.

__________________
You can get farther with a smile and a gun than you can with just a smile.

1984 300D
1985 300CD
1980 300SD
1993 SL500

My great uncle has had a 450 Sl in his shop for over ten years. the rebuilt 617 and tranny are sitting right in front. The problem is that it sits to high and you would have to scoop the hood. He told me awhile back he thought he had figured something out on it. Ive heard nothing since then. Im hoping to score the mess as an inheritance maybe.

__________________
'85 300 Turbo Diesel- 308K

What is 'a four cyl. V8 engine'?

Of course four cylinder v-8 was probably a typo. But you know the germans had a diesel engine used in some of their bombers in the second world war that had two pistons for every bore. It had two cranks one at each side of the block with two pistons in an opposed layout for each bore. Kept the weight down and also had a turbo at end of block. I have seen one of these engines and power and reliability where excellent by all reports. The downside on these engines that restricted their mass application was an inability to change operating speeds quickly enough in service. Apparently was tremendous lag involved but would operate at constant speed very well and economical on fuel compared to gas aircraft engines. Six hundred horsepower somehow rings a bell. Only wish the proper propellor had been with the engine as think it may have been interesting. Also saw no reason why a vairiable speed prop would not have overcome the inherent problem. Thought it was a six cylinder twelve piston engine if I remember. Also that it was a good ideal to eliminate the head as such to lessen weight and valves must have been incorporated in the block at about the centreline position somehow or it had sleeve valves instead. Engine was complete and not a cut away so I could not see.