Kelley Blue Book has officially announced their choices for this year's best environmentally friendly vehicles, naming the Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC one of their "Top 10 Green Cars" of 2008.  Although the majority of other vehicles making the list were of the hybrid variant, the E320 BlueTEC is a clear testament to the fact that Mercedes' clean diesel technology is a viable alternative to traditional gasoline powerplants, with the luxury sedan boasting fuel consumption of 23 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway (as well as a cruising range of up to 675 miles).

According to Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director of Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com: "The Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC demonstrates quite clearly that hybrid powertrains are not the only way to reach environmental excellence.  The advanced BlueTEC system is a technological marvel that brings out the best of diesel technology while virtually eliminating the shortcomings."  He went on to add:  "The E320 BlueTEC filled an important spot on the list. It’s a satisfying, utterly well-built luxury vehicle that just happens to have a very advanced and economical engine and transmission."

As for the other models making the list, here's the complete rundown, ranked in order of fuel consumption:


1. 2008 Toyota Prius | 46 mpg (48 city, 45 highway)

2. 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid | 42 mpg (40 city, 45 highway)

3. 2008 smart fortwo | 36 mpg (33 city, 41 highway)

4. 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid | 34 mpg (35 city, 33 highway)

5. 2008 MINI Cooper | 32 mpg (28 city, 38 highway)

6. 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid | 32 mpg (34 city, 30 highway)

7. 2008 Honda Fit | 31 mpg (28 city, 34 highway)

8. 2008 Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC | 26 mpg (23 city, 32 highway)

9. 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 26 mpg (27 city, 25 highway)

10. 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid | 21 mpg (21 city, 22 highway)


For more information about the Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC as well as Kelley Blue Book's decision to name it one of their "Top 10 Green Cars" of 2008, keep reading for the official press release.

Enjoy.



OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC Chosen as Top Green Car by Kelley Blue Book

MONTVALE, NJ- The Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC diesel sedan was chosen as one of Kelley Blue Book’s Top 10 Green Cars. This honor comes in conjunction with the launch of KBB Green, an all-new section that will feature tools, advice, forums and more for the environmentally minded and fuel-conscious new-car shopper.

“The Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC demonstrates quite clearly that hybrid powertrains are not the only way to reach environmental excellence,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director of Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “The advanced BlueTEC system is a technological marvel that brings out the best of diesel technology while virtually eliminating the shortcomings.”

The Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC concept utilizes state-of-the-art diesel engine technology and exhaust technology to achieve superior fuel economy with the smallest possible environmental footprint. Fuel consumption in this luxury sedan is improved by up to 37 percent when compared to its gasoline counterpart: and torque – the key indicator of engine power – is 55 percent higher. The result is a six-cylinder engine with the power of an 8-cylinder and the fuel consumption of a 4-cylinder.

“The E320 BlueTEC filled an important spot on the list. It’s a satisfying, utterly well-built luxury vehicle that just happens to have a very advanced and economical engine and transmission,” Nerad said.

The E320 BlueTEC achieves significantly better fuel mileage (23 city / 32 highway) and longer cruising range (up to 675 miles) than a comparable gasoline-powered luxury car but more importantly it achieves this without compromising performance or sacrificing style. Additionally, the E320 BlueTEC has helped to shatter past perceptions of diesel vehicles. Powered by 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel with 210 horsepower and 400 lb-ft. of torque, the E320 BlueTEC achieves a 0-60 mph time of just 6.6 seconds.

About Kelley Blue Book

Kelley Blue Book, headquartered in Irvine, California, is the largest vehicle valuation company in the United States. It began in 1918 as Kelley Kar Company, a largely regional operation. Following World War II, it expanded to a nationwide automobile appraisal guide. Today, Kelly Blue Book is still the nation’s most trusted source of car information. It moved to the internet as www.kbb.com in 1995. Since then, more car-buyers use kbb.com than any other three sites combined. Their new Green page, kbb.com/green, launches on July 31, 2008.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2007, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 253,433 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 14 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at www.mbusa.com and www.maybachusa.com.

Copyright © 2008, Mercedes-Benz USA