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Mercedes Goes Green With Clean Diesels

DETROIT -- DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes unit touted its commitment to clean diesel on Sunday, showing off a concept Vision GL420 Bluetec and saying it would dramatically increase its lineup of diesel vehicles next year.

Unveiled at the North American International Auto Show, the Vision GL420 boasts an emissions-reducing system called Bluetec and comes equipped with a V-8 diesel delivering 290 horsepower. The Vision GL420 SUV gets 24 mpg and can travel 600 miles on a tank of gas.

Mercedes also displayed its Concept Ocean Drive, a four-door convertible, and the new S-Class 4MATIC.

Mercedes sales are humming

Diesel sales now account for about half of all sales in Europe, but less than 2 percent of U.S. sales. Mercedes-Benz sold just 7,000 diesel vehicles in the United States in 2006 -- up from 4,300 in 2005.

It won't introduce new diesel models until 2008 as the division complies with stricter emission requirements in California and four other states.

The company plans to then sell its diesel Bluetec R320, ML320 and the GL320. It began selling diesel SUVs (ML-Class CDI, R-Class CDI, and GL- Class CDI) in late 2006.

Mercedes-Benz USA is coming off a record-setting year -- its 13th straight year of sales increases -- selling 248,080 vehicles in 2006, a 10.5 percent increase over 2005.

In November, DaimlerChrysler, Volkswagen AG and its Audi unit announced they had agreed to jointly use a clean diesel technology developed by Mercedes as they strive to comply with stricter U.S. emissions standards.

With their Bluetec pact, the automakers jointly brand a "green" technology, as they attempt to match the success of other environmentally friendly vehicles by other carmakers.