I was totally excited about snapping the first
pic of a Mercedes hybrid hidng in a
trailer outside the Frankfurt Motor Show. Of course, the pic was only significant for a day until Mercedes had its
press conference introducing not one, but two hybrid concepts: the “Direct Hybrid” and the “Bluetec Hybrid”. Both use
the S-Class as a platform, but the Direct Hybrid couples a 3.5L V6 gas engine using a spray-guided direct injection
system with a high torque electric motor, while the Bluetec pairs a 3.0L V6 diesel using advanced exhaust purification
technology to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions with a similar high torque motor. The goal, according to an MB exec, is
to “make petrol cars as efficient as diesels, and diesels as clean as petrol cars.” The Bluetec diesel-hybrid is of
particular interest, as it represents an effective pairing of two highly complementary technologies.
Click the jump to see performance and efficiency specs and read on to see the full press release at
eMercedesBenz.com.
S350 Direct Hybrid:
300 hp
291 ft-lbs of torque
7.5 sec to 62 mph
155 mph top speed
28.3 mpg
S320 Bluetec Hybrid:
243 hp
424 ft-lbs of torque
7.2 sec to 62 mph
155 mph top speed
30.5 mpg