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The first 2011 E350 BlueTECs arrived at Atlanta Classic Cars yesterday. 2 were ordered and are already home with their new owners but we still have one for sale! It is Iridium Silver with the Grey/Black interior, Premium 1 Package and Sport Package. This is the first time we have been able to order a Sport Package for the diesel! Also, the AdBlue fluid has been added to make it an even cleaner burning diesel. Both the luxury and sport models ride on 17″ runflat tires.

I went for a long test drive this morning and the car is stunning. The ride is smooth and quiet with just a tiny bit of diesel rumble. It is powerful! You can feel the engine wanting to go fast!

Please come in for a test drive soon!

Last week I drove my 2007 ML320 CDI to Illinois for a family visit. It was a great trip and I thought I would share the achievements of the ML.

Fuel Economy: 24.2 mpg cruising at 75 mph on the way there. I filled up in Atlanta and could have made it all the way to Champaign on a single tank! I did fill up in Tennessee when I stopped for lunch…just because the prices were pretty good.

Cargo Capacity: The ML is officially listed at 72.4 cubic feet with the second row folded flat. For the return trip that turned out to be just enough room for 2 suitcases and a baby pool full of hostas!

As always, I highly recommend our diesels for their outstanding fuel economy, passenger comfort and environmental friendliness!

The options list for the 2011 E350 BlueTEC is now available. I still have no release date or pricing but we are a little closer now!

2011 E350 BlueTEC Colors:
Obsidian Black
Jade Green
Capri Blue
Steel Grey
Iridium Silver
Palladium Silver
Pearl Beige
Diamond White
Indium Grey
Black
Quartz Blue
Cuprite Brown (special order)
Arctic White

2011 E350 BlueTEC Interiors:
Black MB-Tex
Almond MB-Tex
Ash MB-Tex
Black Leather
Almond Leather
Ash Leather
Chestnut Brown Leather (special order)
Natural Beige Leather

2011 E350 BlueTEC Option Packages:

Premium 1 Package: Rear View Monitor, COMAND with Navigation and Voice Control, iPod/MP3 Interface, Power Rear-Window Sunshade, harman/kardon Sound System, Heated Front Seats

Premium 2 Package: All of Premium 1 Package plus Lighting Package, 115V outlet, Electronic Trunk Closer, KEYLESS-GO

(Finally!) AMG Sport Package: 17″ 5-Twin Spoke Alloy Wheels, Black Roof Liner, Sport Suspension, Sport Trim

Standard Non-Sport Package: 17″ 5-Split Spoke Wheel, Comfort Suspension

Driver Assistance Package: Distronic Plus, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist

2011 E350 BlueTEC Stand Alone Options:
Illuminated Door Sills
Chrome Door Handle Inserts
Rear Deck Spoiler
Accessory Styling Package (Rear Deck and Roof Spoilers)
PARKTRONIC with Parking Guidance
Split Folding Rear Seats
Wood/Leather Steering Wheel (Luxury Only)
Side Airbags in Rear
Panorama Sunroof
Driving Dynamic Front Seats
Night View Assist
Rear Seat Entertainment
Heated Front Seats
Heated Rear Seats (special order)
Heated Steering Wheel (special order)

There was a huge rush last month to buy 2009 E350s because Mercedes-Benz had given us a large rebate. However, the diesels were not included. Well…now they are! If you have been thinking about the E320 BlueTEC this is the time to act! I have 3 well-equipped cars in stock and would love to sell them immediately!

2009 E320 BlueTEC Silver/Grey Premium 1 Package
2009 E320 BlueTEC White/Black Premium 1 Package
2009 E320 BlueTEC Black/Black Premium 1 Package and Panoramic Roof

There will not be another E-Class diesel in the US until next spring so this is your chance! Hope to hear from you soon!

Important notes on the tax credit:
Must be purchased, not leased
The credit is claimed on your Income Tax Returns, not at time of sale
The upcoming ML450 and S400 hybrids will qualify for the same program, amounts to be determined.
Toyota/Lexus are no longer eligible for these credits
2009 ML320 BlueTEC qualifies for $900 credit
2009 GL320 BlueTEC qualifies for $1800 credit
2009 R320 BlueTEC qualifies for $1550 credit

“We recently took out the ML BlueTEC to the Autoclub Speedway for some performance testing and found that besides being a relatively fuel efficient and low-emissions people-mover (EPA rated at 18 city/24 highway) the new ML diesel is also a decent Bavarian performer of an SUV.”

“As is the case with the new breed of 50-state legal diesels, it didn’t “act” (or smell) like the dirty, black-plume-spewing cars of yesteryear.”

“Sporty? Check. Luxurious? Check. Capable of actually being used in a towing/hauling/carrying situation? Check. The powertrain is always ready to unleash its smile-inducing torque, while the 3.0L six should prove plenty sturdy thanks to the vast experience its diligent engineers have amassed since pre-WWII.”

Read Motor Trend’s full review here

In Atlanta we don’t get many chances to drive in the snow but since I travel to Illinois every Christmas I can certainly vouch for how great the ML is in the snow. This year I drove a C-class up and even though it wasn’t a 4matic it did really well in the snow. Mercedes’ traction and stability systems allow even our 2-wheel-drive sedans to out handle most SUVs as long as the snow doesn’t get too deep.

This is a great review that Motor Trend just did on winter driving in the 2009 ML320 BlueTEC.

“The big Benz powered along straight and true, while nearby several other vehicles skidded right off the highway and buried themselves until spring in mountainous snowbanks.”

“Say you put on 30,000 highway miles a year. Using EPA highway figures for comparison, and assuming that L.A.’s gas/diesel prices remain fixed (though the gap is almost sure to close), with the ML320 BlueTEC’s higher efficiency you’d start coming out ahead after just three years.”

“The engine is that smooth and quiet. Torquey, too.”

“Of particular note was the rear-glass heater, which could likely cook pancakes in Antarctica. In what seemed like seconds, any ice build-up just melted right off.”

Read the full Motor Trend Review here

Mercedes-Benz has sent us a 2009 ML320 BlueTEC and a 2009 GL320 BlueTEC to test drive for the next month. You might notice them on the road with their…distinctive wrapping. I went for a spin in the GL320 BlueTEC yesterday. I wanted to see how the 20″ run-flat tires impacted the ride quality. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the ride was as comfortable as it has ever been. I think Mercedes took great care to compensate for the run-flats with the suspension set up. Also, the 20″ size is not too big. It almost feels more suited to the size of the GL that the 18″ wheels did.

You can learn more at the Mercedes BlueTEC site or come in and see for yourself!

Mercedes has just annouced that the 2009 BlueTEC SUVs will qualify for the federal Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit. This is the same tax credit that has been avaliable on most hybrid vehicles. One interesting thing is that because Toyota and Lexus have already sold their total of eligible vehicles none of their hybrids will qualify for this credit. Here are the details from Mercedes-Benz.

• Any qualifying vehicle (MY09 BlueTEC GL, ML & R- Class) must be purchased – Leased vehicles will not qualify for the credit.
• Credit is not realized at retail purchase, but must be applied for individually by the customer, and claimed on their Income Tax Return (1040). Each respective customer should contact their individual tax advisor for more details.
• Unfortunately, the 40 state MY09 E320 BlueTEC does not qualify for this credit.
• Maximum tax credit amounts: — 2009 ML320 BlueTEC: $900 — 2009 R320 BlueTec: $1,550 — 2009 GL320 BlueTEC: $1,800 — Please note: amount is based on a somewhat complicated formula, and since the ML is the lightest of the three vehicles, it is held to a higher standard for fuel economy improvement, but has the smallest improvement of the three vehicles. Therefore the maximum is relatively lower vs. the GL & R- Classes.
• The credit begins to phase out via a rather complicated tiered structure once the manufacturer sells 60,000 eligible vehicles, (hybrids/diesels) and is then subsequently eliminated.
• Toyota /Lexus already reached the maximum number of hybrids sold in October 2007, so anyone purchasing a Toyota or Lexus hybrid is no longer eligible for the above mentioned tax credit.

Better fuel economy and a tax credit! Seems like a no-brainer.