S-Class

Mercedes-Benz Hybrid and BlueTEC Vehicles Set the Eco Standard in Hollywood

Words Marcus Bloom | April 19, 2010
The Mercedes-Benz eco line-up is making it easy for celebs to have green transportation by offering the best of both worlds
Words Marcus Bloom April 19, 2010

Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC clean diesel technology, a Hollywood veteran for luxury eco-chic transportation, is getting support from a cast of new environmentally friendly vehicles including the Mercedes-Benz 2010 S400 HYBRID luxury sedan and ML450 HYBRID SUV. The expansion of Mercedes-Benz eco line-up is making it easy for celebs to have green transportation by offering the best of both worlds: supreme luxury, safety, and technology with solid environmental credentials.

S400 HYBRID

The new Mercedes-Benz 2010 S400 HYBRID luxury sedan is the vehicle of choice for A-list actors including Robert Downey Jr, who drove the luxury sedan when off-camera while shooting his upcoming film Due Date, and Gerard Butler, among others. The S400 Hybrid made its rounds during the award season as, the chic transportation choice among a select group of celebs in the know.

The S400 HYBRID features the world’s first lithium-ion battery in a production hybrid vehicle and the 275-hp V6 gasoline engine provides an impressive estimated 30 miles per gallon on the highway. The ML450 HYBRID mid-size SUV uses a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, two electric motors and sophisticated electronics to produce more than 46 percent better fuel economy than a comparable V8-powered ML550 model, and is the vehicle of choice for international pop star Miley Cyrus.

BlueTEC clean diesel

Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC and ML Hybrid vehicles combine a smooth, quiet ride with fuel efficiency that delivers 20-30 percent higher fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine making it the GREEN choice for a number of Hollywood’s elite including Sarah Jessica Parker, Liv Tyler, Rosario Dawson, Christina Applegate, Molly Sims,  Giles Marini, Felicity Huffman among others.

Today, Mercedes-Benz offers three BlueTEC SUVs – the R, ML and GL320 BlueTEC – and, will soon add the E350 BlueTEC sedan this fall. The term “BlueTEC” is derived from the innovative AdBlue process that dramatically reduces emissions and enables the diesel V6 engines to meet the stringent emissions standards of all 50 States. According to the EPA, the nation would save 1.4 million barrels of oil a day if just one third of all light-duty vehicles in the USA were state-of-the-art diesel vehicles.

An added bonus of driving green cars like the Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC and Hybrid, beyond not sacrificing space, safety or luxury, is the IRS alternative-powertrain tax credit.  The current Diesel Tax Credits for owners of a 2009/10 Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC are $1,800 for the GL320/GL350; $1,550 for the R320/R350; and $900 for the ML320/ML350. Mercedes-Benz hybrid credits are $2200 for the ML450 and $1150 for the S400.

For 2010 Mercedes-Benz plans to offer a limited number of B-Class hydrogen fuel cell vehicles available for lease in California. Essentially an electric car that makes its own power on board, the new Mercedes-Benz F-Cell has a range of about 240 miles before needing refueling. Running on compressed hydrogen, the F-Cell boasts an equivalent fuel mileage of 86.6 city-highway combined miles per gallon and water is the F-Cell’s only emission.

** On a side note, I nor any or of the staff here at eMercedesBenz endorse purchasing a vehicle based on what celebrity may or may not be driving them.  When it comes to selecting a new car, SUV, etc., base your decisions on your own experiences with the model through test drives and dealer demonstrations, talk to other owners and gain their real world insight about the model, and most importantly, forget Hollywood.  It won’t take Robert Downey Jr. to convince you the S400 Hybrid is the best luxury hybrid sedan on the market.