With the worldwide debut of the four-cylinder Mercedes-Benz Vision C220 Bluetec concept at the upcoming Geneva auto show, the German automaker is expanding its clean diesel technology to the lower end of the market.

With the Vision C220 Bluetec, which is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission and a turbocharged four-cylinder power plant that delivers 170 horsepower and peak torque of 295 pound-feet, Mercedes-Benz has its eye on a wider portfolio of products in its Bluetec lineup. It said that the Vision C220 Bluetec gets 42.7 mpg on diesel fuel.

In a statement, the automaker said: “The [Bluetec] technology is currently being adapted to European market requirements and further Mercedes-Benz models, the aim being to also offer Bluetec in passenger cars for European customers, starting in 2008.” For the U.S. market, the German automaker is offering three V6 Bluetec models — the GL-Class, M-Class and R-Class.

“With the Vision C220 Bluetec, Mercedes-Benz is providing a taste of things to come as part of its Bluetec initiative,” the company said.

The Bluetec technology in the new concept includes an oxidizing catalytic converter, which reduces emissions of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons, as well as a particulate filter.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 27th, 2007 at 11:21 am and is filed under News and Technology [t]. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.