Mercedes launches new ECO models

Nov 24 2008 Steve Hughes

Mercedes launches new ECO models

MERCEDES-BENZ is the latest car company to introduce an eco badge, which will first appear on the environmentally-friendly C180 BlueEfficiency saloon.

It follows the trend already set by rivals BMW with its EfficientDynamics, Volkswagen's BlueMotion models, SEAT's Ecomotives, Ford's ECOnetics and a host of others.

In the case of the Mercedes-Benz C180 BlueEfficiency there is a new engine and associated fuel-saving devices that combine to reduce consumption by 11 per cent and CO2 emissions by 18g/km.

Whilst the former means paying less money at the pumps, the latter reduces the annual road tax by 30 per cent and the employee's tax liability falls from 21 per cent to 17 per cent.

This alone represents a saving of more than £370 a year in tax for higher earners.

The size of the supercharged engine is reduced by 200cc to 1.8-litres but power is unchanged at 156bhp and economy is 45mpg in the case of the manual saloon.

To help achieve that figure there is a fuel economy indicator and a gearshift point indicator, which is already a feature on BMWs to urge drivers to change up a gear as soon as possible.

In addition to the economy savings there are significant reductions in exhaust emissions, which go down to a new low of 149g/km and put the car into road fund licence Band C rather than Band E, saving £50 a year.

Part of the emissions savings result from the fitment of low rolling-resistance tyres, smaller exterior mirrors and an energy-management system that only activates the power steering when it is needed.

The official list price of the car based on the C180 SE is unchanged but because of the lower tax liability resulting from the reduced emissions it actually costs £50 less in saloon form and £35 less for the estate model.

The first cars are due to arrive here in January with prices of £23,350 for the saloon and £24,757 for the estate.