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MBZ E320 BlueTEC Top Luxe Green Car

Luxury Autos: The Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC diesel sedan is the top selected luxury vehicle in the recently announced Kelley Blue Book's 2008 Top 10 Green Cars. Kelley Blue Book issued the award in conjunction with the launch of KBB Green, a new section of the company that features tools, advice, and forums for environmentally minded new-car shoppers.

The Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC concept utilizes advanced technology in its diesel engine and exhaust system to achieve a higher level of fuel economy while leaving the smallest possible environmental footprint. When this model is compared to its gasoline-fueled counterpart, this luxury sedan's fuel consumption rate is 37 percent better. Additionally, the torque of the engine is 55 percent higher, resulting in a 6-cylinder engine with the power of an 8-cylinder and the fuel consumption of a 4-cylinder.

In a recent press release from Mercedes-Benz, Jack R. Nerad, executive director of Kelley Blue Book, said, "The Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTEC demonstrates quite clearly that hybrid powertrains are not the only way to reach environmental excellence." Nerad also said, "The E320 BlueTEC filled an important spot on the list. It's a satisfying, utterly well-built luxury vehicle that just happens to have a very advanced and economical engine and transmission."

The Mercedes-Benz E320 BlueTec, which is eighth on the KBB 2008 Top 10 Green Cars list, gets 26 miles per gallon. The top three ranked autos are the Toyota Prius, the Honda Civic Hybrid, and the esoteric Smart ForTwo.

Visit www.kbb.com for more info on KBB Green.

For LxM James Rothaar