Please check out this link from 2005:
World 100,000 mile record: 140 mph for 30 days averaging 40 mpg

Is it naive to believe that a 2006 MB production diesel E-class could get 40 mpg at 140 mph?

Should the owner of one of these cars be able to recognize the incongruity of this supposed fuel economy and the actual fuel economy he/she experiences?

Or perhaps in this day and age, if something is printed online, the average person is trained to simply believe it.

For what its worth, the same car had a EPA highway rating of 37 mpg when sold, which has been now corrected down to 33 mpg highway. The EPA test focuses on speeds between 40 and 60 mph with modest accelerations. The author of the story mis-understood the press release from MB, which stated that the car under normal driving conditions would get 40 mpg.

I am curious to get others' thoughts on the matter. Perhaps I expect too much critical thinking on behalf of the general population. Perhaps I expect too much critical thinking on behalf of the owner of one of these cars.

And in case you are interested in the correct answer, the 3 cars in MBs test from 2005 averaged around 17-18 mpg. Still somewhat impressive for those incredible speeds, but clearly more believable.

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1968 220D, w115, /8, OM615, Automatic transmission.
My 1987 300TD wagon was sold and my 2003 W210 E320 wagon was totaled (sheds tear).

People generally believe the first google hit, preview sentence. Even if its refuted by the subsequent 1,000 links, or if once you open the link and read the context the meaning changes, usually people regurgitate that first sentence.

I've never met someone with a CDI who didn't SMASH the EPA rating. I'm not sure how the epa got their ratings for the diesels, but some of the bluetec E350s are rated as low as like 21mpg city.

However 40mpg@140mph, like you said, the author of the linked article didn't have incredible reading comprehension.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Well, most people know little about cars, so 40 mpg probably seems reasonable. Hybrid cars claim 175 mpg equivalency so to a non car geek it probably seems just fine.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.