Press release dated Feb. 11 2003. In part:

Montvale, NJ-Mercedes Benz, the company that invented the diesel car, has announced that it will again offer a diesel-powered car in the US market. Starting in 2004, the company will market an E320 CDI, a more fuel-efficient version of its highly successful E-Class sedan. The new diesel engine is quiet and impressively fuel efficient, while achieving lower exhaust emmisions than previous diesels.

It goes on to say it will be offered in 45 states(which goes against what I had been told about 50-state only vehicles) and that engineers are optimistic about the engine meeting emissions standards in all 50 states once (IF, in my book) the lower sulphur fuel is offered.
I really didn't expect this for quite awhile, but I've never been so glad to be wrong!

Gilly

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I wonder what the other four worthless states are besides California?



Ken300D

covered in a previous thread:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=57401

"As a result, Volkswagen now says it won't offer diesels in California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut or Vermont in the 2004 and '05 model years. And Mercedes-Benz is unsure whether it will be able to sell its diesel E-Class sedan in those five states next year. "

damn!

Does that mean that there is no way that I could own it? What if I bought it in NH and register it here?

Zeig Heil!! All hale the all-knowing, all-seeing totally ****** retarded "gubmints" of Kalifornia and the Communist Occupied Territories formerly known as the NorthEast. Zeig Heil! Zeig Heil! Blithering liberal idiots. RT

ps-I do realize the difference between Communists and Facists, its for effect....

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84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

I live in Tiverton Rhode Island, and VITI Mercedes is right up the road. I get to see the Diesels, and maybe my parents will buy me one for college graduation lol.

Holson,
If MA is like CA you'll need to buy it and register it out of state then you can "move" and bring it with you to the new, forbidden state. Be prepared to take it out of state for dealer service since the dealer techs in MA likely won't be attending the classes on the new diesels. My guess though is that you may soon be able to buy them in 50 states. CARB is really begining to weaken on their anti-diesel position so if they break down the others may too. It's an interesting story....According to the article I read the head of CARB (Calif Air Resources Board for those who don't speak Californian) was in Europe and saw a bunch of new diesels running around that weren't smoking and was impressed. It seems it finally dawned on them that the technology has advanced AND they produce less Co2 than gassers. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
LRG

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

My fingers are also crossed...

Actually, as I remember it, the story was of the CARB head realizing that, for some reason, diesels have less of an impact on the greenhouse effect or something like that...

Maybe it was both stories together? That would be quite cool

Here's a lengthier release, source unknown:

84

posted February 10, 2003 18:57
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Mercedes-Benz USA to Offer High-Tech Diesel Car in 2004

2/10/2003 - Mercedes-Benz, the company that invented the diesel car, has announced that it will again offer a diesel-powered car in the U.S. market.

Starting in 2004, the company will market an E320 CDI, a more fuel-efficent diesel version of its highly successful E-Class sedan. The new diesel engine is quiet and impressively fuel-efficient, while achieving lower exhaust emissions than previous diesels.

The turbocharged six-cylinder powerplant will feature electronic fuel injection -- considered technically impossible on a diesel until only a few years ago. CDI stands for "common-rail" diesel injection -- a term denoting the fuel line loop supplying constant fuel pressure to each of the six solenoid injector valves.

The leap to electronic fuel injection means that the E320 CDI engine can be even cleaner, quieter and more powerful than conventional mechanically-injected diesel powerplants. Diesel engines inherently produce 30 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions and significantly lower carbon monoxide than gasoline engines, but historically, diesels have produced more oxides of nitrogen and soot or particulates. However, with precise electronic control of fuel delivery, hand in hand with an oxidation catalyst, the E320 CDI can pass current 45-state emissions standards. When low-sulphur diesel fuel becomes available in the U.S. around 2007, Mercedes-Benz engineers are optimistic that the CDI diesel can meet emissions standards in all 50 states.

Mercedes-Benz debuted the world's first diesel passenger car -- the 260D -- in 1936, and on a global basis, diesel engines power about 40 percent of Mercedes cars around the world. In the early 1980s, over 75 percent of the Mercedes-Benz cars sold in the U.S. market were diesel-powered, but as consumer tastes evolved, diesel cars became a smaller and smaller part of the company's product mix.

Mercedes-BenzUSA last offered a diesel car -- the E300 Turbodiesel -- in 1999. The company planned a one-year hiatus for the diesel until its new CDI engine was ready, but in the meantime, emissions standards were proposed which further delayed the new U.S. diesel.

Diesel engines consistently provide over 30 percent better fuel efficiency than comparable gasoline engines, which means that a full-size luxury sedan such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class can get well over 30 miles per gallon on the highway and cruise nearly 700 miles before refueling. Relying purely on the heat of highly compressed intake air to ignite the fuel, diesel engines operate without spark plugs or other ignition parts.

The latest generation of electronically-injected CDI diesel engines are likely to change consumers' dated perceptions about diesel engines. With surprisingly good performance, low exhaust emissions and great fuel economy, electronic control of diesel fuel injection even makes it possible to soften the power pulses and help make the diesel nearly as quiet as a gasoline engine, even during idle conditions.

CDI diesel technology will help expand the company's already broad product portfolio in the U.S. market. In addition, Mercedes-Benz' pioneering role in alternative powertrain development means that its modern diesel engine is likely to play a key role in the company's future products that could include advanced piston engines, hybrids, and fuel cells.

[

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'73 Norton Commando Interstate

I can't wait! [drooling] I'm glad to be living in a non-communist state.

BTW, is this the same technology that VW uses in their TDI's?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

According to the article I read the head of CARB (Calif Air Resources Board for those who don't speak Californian) was in Europe and saw a bunch of new diesels running around that weren't smoking and was impressed. It seems it finally dawned on them that the technology has advanced AND they produce less Co2 than gassers. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
LRG
[COLOR=darkblue]


Nope, that's not it. I read the Governor signed the Koyoto treaty and told CARB that they must find an economical way of meeting the requirement. Detroit pitched diesels.... Don't think he travels to Europe much or he would have figured it out a long time ago...........

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Michael McGuire
83 300d
01 vw A4 TDI
66 Chevy Corsa
68 GMC V6 w/oD
86 300E

If the Governor of California signed the Kyoto treaty, then he belongs in a Federal Penetentiary.

United States Constitution:

Section. 10.
Clause 1: No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.




Ken300D

Went to my local Mass. Benz dealer yesterday. Mass, Calif., Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine Will not sell 2004 diesels. From the dealer " If you buy one and register out of state you still will not be aloud to bring it back to Mass.. Any of the banned states will not even be able to order one to deliver to an exempt state." Believe me my dealer wants to sell me one.

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Ricali

03 C240 4matic wagon
95 300E 234,000
7 prior 240;s 5 still going
81 300sd gone
65 230sl gone
49 Studebaker Champion
90BMW convert.167,000
60 Dodge D-100

Ironically in California old diesels never need a smog test. Yet they won't allow new diesels with much better emissions?

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Good news indeed!

Now if we could only get the CDI in an ML...

~George~