If you're looking for a way to extract even more fuel efficiency from your already fuel-efficient Mercedes CDI model, a recent test by n-tv Motor (Germany's leading news channel) has confirmed that the BRABUS ECO PowerExtra tuning program is capable of reducing fuel consumption by more than 2 miles per gallon.  Even more impressive, the improvement in fuel efficiency comes in addition to an improvement in power, with the BRABUS ECO PowerExtra package raising the Mercedes V6 common-rail turbodiesel's output to 272 hp / 200 kW (+ 48 hp / 35 kW) and increasing torque 80 Nm to a total of 590 Nm.

As for how n-tv confirmed the benefits of the BRABUS ECO PowerXtra program, the weekly car magazine hired renowned car expert and former race driver Klaus Niedzwiedz to complete a test route of 94 kilometers (59 miles), with city streets, country roads and an Autobahn passage all included to simulate a typical daily commute.  A single, standard Mercedes ML320 CDI was used for the test (save for the addition of BRABUS Monoblock VI light-alloy wheels), and the same route was run twice:  once without the ECO PowerXtra system, and once with. 

Following the first 59-mile test run without BRABUS's tuning, the ML320 CDI noted fuel consumption of 11.1 liters per 100 kilometers, or 21.2 mpg.  Not bad, by any means.  When fitted with the ECO PowerXtra package, however, the ML completed the same route with fuel economy figures of just 9.4 liters per 100 kilometers, or 25 mpg.  After taking into account additional red lights encountered during the first test run, Niedzwiedz was confident in saying the BRABUS program improved fuel efficiency over the production CDI version by at least 2 mpg.

According to Klaus Niedzwiedz:  "During the first lap I was stopped at red lights more often but I never turned off the engine. Taking this into account the fuel economy improved by at least one liter per 100 km (2 mpg) compared to the production car."   In terms of the added power, Niedzwiedz was equally impressed:  "Immediately apparent is the fact that the increase in torque by some 80 Nm (59 lb-ft) results in much better engine response and I have to use less throttle. Highly positive: The vehicle accelerates at low engine speeds, the foot operating the gas pedal remains entirely relaxed."

As for BRABUS' thoughts on the test?  We'll let BRABUS-CEO Prof. h.c. Bodo Buschmann take it from here: "This test confirms that our concept works.  We follow a simple principle: More torque means lower engine speeds mean better fuel economy. And better fuel economy also translates into a reduction of CO2 emissions."

You don't get much simpler than that.

If you're interested, the BRABUS ECO PowerXTRA package is available for nearly all current Mercedes CDI models, with prices starting at EUR 1,290.  Installation is painless, taking only 30 minutes in the example of the aforementioned ML test subject, while a BRABUS tuning warranty of three years or 62,000 miles is also included.

For more info, you can find the full details of the BRABUS ECO PowerXTRA package in the official press release below.

Enjoy.













OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


n-tv Motor Tests BRABUS ECO PowerXtra Tuning:  Fuel Economy Improves By More Than One Liter Diesel Fuel Per 100 Kilometers (2 mpg)

Better diesel fuel economy through professional tuning: A Mercedes ML 320 CDI equipped with BRABUS ECO PowerXtra D6 (III) consumed more than one liter less diesel fuel (+2 mpg) than the production car in a test conducted by n-tv Motor in Germany.

n-tv, Germany’s leading news channel, wanted to know for sure: Does BRABUS ECO PowerXtra diesel tuning really improve fuel economy despite producing more power? The editors of n-tv Motor, the weekly car magazine on n-tv, hired Klaus Niedzwiedz to conduct the test. Niedzwiedz is not only a renowned car expert; he is also an experienced race driver who among other titles finished second in the touring car world championship in 1987.

Niedzwiedz first drove a stock Mercedes ML 320 CDI (stock except for BRABUS Monoblock VI light-alloy wheels) on a specific test route that covered 94 kilometers (59 miles). The route included city streets, country roads and an Autobahn passage to simulate all the elements of a typical daily commute. The journalist’s goal was to drive as economical as possible.

To ensure a comparison under identical conditions, upon Niedzwiedz’s return the very same car was equipped with a BRABUS ECO PowerXtra D6 (III) tuning module in less than 30 minutes. It bumped power output of the V6 common-rail turbodiesel engine by 48 hp (47 hp SAE net) / 35.3 kW above the standard output of 224 hp (221 hp SAE net) / 165 kW. Simultaneously peak torque grows from 510 to 590 Nm (376 to 435 lb-ft).

Already the first few kilometers on the same route impressed the tester with the improved performance characteristics of the SUV: “Immediately apparent is the fact that the increase in torque by some 80 Nm (59 lb-ft) results in much better engine response and I have to use less throttle. Highly positive: The vehicle accelerates at low engine speeds, the foot operating the gas pedal remains entirely relaxed.”

After the second 94 kilometers Niedzwiedz was even more impressed by the improved fuel economy. For the stock ML 320 CDI the test resulted in a fuel economy of 11.1 liters per 100 km (21.2 mpg), the more powerful BRABUS version on the same route turned in a fuel economy figure of just 9.4 liters per 100 km (25 mpg) – a difference of 1.7 liters per 100 km (3.8 mpg)! And all that while recording an average speed of 75 km/h (47 mph), nine km/h (six mph) faster and ten minutes less than during the first round. “During the first lap I was stopped at red lights more often but I never turned off the engine. Taking this into account the fuel economy improved by at least one liter per 100 km (2 mpg) compared to the production car.”

This verdict confirms the philosophy of BRABUS of creating more driving fun through modern tuning while at the same time also improving fuel economy under identical driving conditions. BRABUS-CEO Prof. h.c. Bodo Buschmann was very pleased by the outcome: “This test confirms that our concept works: We follow a simple principle: More torque means lower engine speeds mean better fuel economy. And better fuel economy also translates into a reduction of CO2 emissions.”

BRABUS ECO PowerXtra® diesel tuning is available for almost all current Mercedes CDI models, starting at 1,290 Euros MSRP. The BRABUS-tuned engines all meet the same strict Euro IV emission limits as the production engines. And all BRABUS ECO PowerXtra® kits are backed by the one-of-a-kind BRABUS tuning warranty of three years, up to 100,000 kilometers or 62,000 miles (see BRABUS warranty conditions as of November 2006).

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