Are you tired of placing undue pressure the world's polar ice caps?  If you drive a Mercedes E-Class or C-Class with a four-cylinder diesel engine produced between June of 2003 and June of 2005, you're in luck. 

Mercedes has announced today the availability of a particulate filter for the above mentioned models, that reduces emissions by 40% and is compliant with the EU4 emissions standard.

The system works by combining two catalytic converters in a single housing: an oxidising unit which converts gaseous pollutants, and a particulate reduction unit in which soot particles are trapped and burned off at an exhaust temperature of over 250 degrees Celsius.

As we said earlier, the particulate filter fits all E and C-Class models with four cylinder diesel engines produced between June of 2003 and summer of 2005 (the system has come standard on all CDi models since then).  If you're interested, cost to install the system is EUR 799.

For more info, you can check out the full press release below.


OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


Diesel particulates cut by up to 40 percent: retrofit system now available from Mercedes-Benz

Stuttgart, Dec 07, 2005

With immediate effect, Mercedes-Benz is offering a retrofit system for C-Class and E-Class diesel models which significantly reduces particulate emissions. The system is maintenance-free and is suitable for installation in vehicles with four-cylinder diesel engines produced since June 2003. The price including installation is € 799.

This retrofit system is a further sign of the Mercedes-Benz commitment to reducing diesel emissions. Since the summer of 2005 all new CDI passenger cars produced by the Stuttgart brand have been equipped with a particulate filter as standard.

The retrofit system for the four-cylinder models in the C-Class and E-Class combines two catalytic converters in a single housing: an oxidising unit which converts gaseous pollutants and a particulate reduction unit in which soot particles are trapped and burned off at an exhaust temperature of over 250 degrees Celsius. As a result, particulate emissions are reduced by up to 40 percent and fall below the limits prescribed by the EU4 standard.

The maintenance-free Mercedes retrofit system requires no fuel additives and can be installed with no modifications to the electronic engine management system. In the process the standard oxidising catalytic converters of the CDI models are replaced and fed into the Mercedes Recycling Management system (MeRSy) for reuse.

This retrofit system by Mercedes-Benz meets the current requirements of the German federal government’s tax incentive scheme for low-emission diesel passenger cars. The system is available from Mercedes-Benz sales and service outlets and dealerships throughout Europe with immediate effect.

Copyright © 2005, Daimler Chrysler AG