Despite diesel prices being well above gas prices at the pumps, Mercedes-Benz is confident that its new family of Bluetec diesel-powered crossovers and SUVs — the 2009 320 ML, GL SUV and R-Class crossover – will account for at least 15 percent of its crossover and SUV sales.
Set to launch in October, Mercedes feels that customers will over look both the price difference at the pump and the dealership – the Bluetec option will add about $1,000 to a vehicle’s MSRP – in favor of the diesel increased fuel economy. Mercedes claims that its new 50-state legal Bluetec diesel powerplant is between 20 and 33 percent more efficient than a comparable gasoline engine, allowing the ML-Class and R-Class to achieve 24 mpg on the highway.
Mercedes also cites its Bluetec technology is much more affordable than hybrid technology, which adds about $3,000 to the price of a vehicle. According to Mercedes’ calculations, a Bluetec SUV buyer will recoup the price difference about two years sooner than a hybrid SUV buyer.
Mercedes will also play up the Bluetec’s green side, with no fewer than 15 celebrities getting the keys to a complimentary Bluetec SUV. “Green is not going away, and it is growing in the consciousness of our customers,” Stephen Cannon, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA, told Automotive News. “We would like to give that Bluetec logo as much cachet as the term hybrid has.”
