Next to their claim of having produced ‘the best car in the world’, with their S-Class, the German manufacturer is also heralding the Mercedes-Benz E-Class E300 Hybrid as ‘the world’s most efficient luxury sedan’. Then of course there is possibly the maddest mid-size executive saloon available right now in the form of the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG.
The 2014 E 300 BlueTec Hybrid employs a 2.1-litre, 4-cylinder, diesel engine paired with a 20 kW electric motor. The combustion engine produces 150 kW and 500 Nm of torque, while the electric motor adds 250 Nm. Combined power output is 170 kW and 590 Nm, which is sent to the rear-wheels via a 7-speed automatic transmission.
Performance is brisk at 7.5 seconds for the 0 – 100 km/h sprint, while average fuel consumption is a claimed 4.3 l/100km compared with the diesel-only E250 CDI that uses 4.9 l/100km, which is an improvement of just over 12 per cent.
Like its nearest eco-friendly executive rival, the BMW ActiveHybrid 5, the E 300 BlueTec Hybrid carries a price premium over the standard E250 CDI equivalent, (R634 000 versus R565 000), but this is unlikely to deter the early adopters and eco-concious.
At the complete other end of the sensibility scale, the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG is built to satisfy the power-hungry with a ripsnorting V8 powertrain. The AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine generates a maximum output of 430 kW and maximum torque of 800 Newton metres. Acceleration to 100 km/h from a standing start is over in 4.1 seconds.
A brief list of technical highlights for one of the world’s fastest production cars reads as follows: direct petrol injection; biturbocharging; all-aluminium crankcase; four-valve technology with camshaft adjustment and air-water charge cooling.
Another highlight is the price of R1 396 604. This figure includes VAT, but excludes R11 286 in emissions tax for the brute’s 230 g/km of CO2. In addition, expect to cough up another R27 900 for an AMG rear axle differential lock, R37 150 for a few carbon trim elements, or how about R41 250 for either ‘designo Magno Allanite Grey’ or ‘designo Magno White’ metallic paintwork.
