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Stuttgart – On October 21, 33 Mercedes-Benz E-Class cars with clean
diesel technology will start on a fascinating long-distance drive from Paris to
Beijing, each covering around 13,600 kilometres. With this automotive marathon,
Mercedes-Benz is once again demonstrating the capabilities of its latest diesel
engines with respect to emissions, economy and operating range, even under the
most extreme conditions. Over long stretches of the journey, this long-distance
event follows the route of the first transcontinental car race in history, which
went from Peking to Paris in 1907. As an event that also highlights the
durability, performance and strength of the new-generation E-Class, the cars
will be driven by around 330 drivers from 35 nations, covering a collective
distance of more than 450,000 kilometres in nine countries within 26
days.
The E-Class fleet leaving Paris on October 21 consists of 33 standard E-Class
models with clean diesel engines, some of them equipped with 4MATIC four-wheel
drive. In addition to 30 E 320 CDI models, three E-Class cars equipped with
BLUETEC are included. This forward-looking technology makes the Mercedes-Benz
saloon the world’s cleanest diesel car. The E 320 BLUETEC is the first and only
diesel worldwide that can undercut the US exhaust emission standard BIN 8, which
is particularly stringent with respect to nitrogen oxide emissions. From October
15, 2006 the E 320 BLUETEC initially became available in the USA and Canada, and
consumes up to 30 per cent less fuel than comparable petrol-engined cars. Owing
to its enormous operating range of up to 1,200 kilometres with a full tank, it
is ideally suited to an automotive marathon like the Paris-Beijing event – as is
the E 320 CDI.
The long-distance journey from Europe to Asia passes through France, Germany,
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia and Kazakhstan before ending in
China. This event is not only a particular challenge owing to very low
temperatures, ice, snow and short hours of daylight. Absolving the daily stages
of up to 750 kilometres through sometimes impassable areas, under unusual
traffic conditions and crossing passes at altitudes of up to 2,900 metres will
require outstanding concentration, experience and fitness of the approximately
330 drivers from 35 nations, who will take turns at the wheel during the five
1,900 to 3,400-kilometre stages of the event. They include international
journalists, celebrities and online applicants who were chosen from more than
50,000 people who expressed interest via the Internet.
The most unusual vehicle in the fleet is an E-Class taxi from Paris, which
will accompany the convoy for the entire distance across eight national borders
and six time zones. Altogether the 33 diesel saloons will cover around 450,000
kilometres within 26 days, corresponding to eleven and a half times the orbit
around the earth on the equator. Their arrival at Beijing is planned for
November 17. They could also be making their way down under.
“This extraordinary journey from Paris to Beijing reflects important
Mercedes-Benz brand values: reliability, safety and outstanding long-distance
comfort. What is more, we have always been open to sporting challenges. For
example, the very first Mercedes of 1900 was designed for racing. Since then our
engineers have consistently tested and demonstrated the day-to-day practicality
of new technologies under extreme conditions,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman
of DaimlerChrysler AG and CEO of Mercedes Car Group.
As a pioneer in the field of diesel engine technology, Mercedes-Benz is using
the journey as an opportunity to showcase their latest developmental
achievements.
“Seventy years after Mercedes-Benz introduced the diesel engine in passenger
cars, we now want to underline the performance of our modern diesel technology
with the long-distance drive from Paris to Beijing”, explains Dr Thomas Weber,
member of the board of DaimlerChrysler AG and responsible for Group Research
& Development at the Mercedes Car Group. As fuel prices increase,
independent experts forecast an accelerating worldwide trend towards diesel
cars. The latest JD Power study “Global Outlook for Diesel” forecasts that the
worldwide market share of diesel will increase from the present 18 to around 30
per cent by 2015.
Retracing the route of the first transcontinental car race in history
The route of the “E-Class Experience” substantially follows that of the first
transcontinental car race in history, which was held from Peking to Paris 99
years ago. The aim of its French organizers was to demonstrate the technical
superiority of the automobile over the horse. The winner was the Italian
aristocrat Scipione Borghese, who reached the finishing line in Paris after 62
days – his rivals arrived three weeks later.
In contrast to the historical event – and despite the ambitious schedule of
just 26 days – speed is not the most important consideration during the
long-distance E-Class journey. Instead, the sporting challenge for the
participants is to achieve the lowest possible fuel consumption for the separate
stages and the overall distance. Despite a high output of 165 kW and a maximum
torque of 540 newton metres, the usual fuel consumption of the E 320 CDI is
impressively low at 7.3 to 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres.
In May 2005 the economical and clean Mercedes-Benz V6 diesel engine had its
debut with an extraordinary endurance test. In three series-production E 320 CDI
cars, the engine completed a failure-free, 30-day test marathon on a high-speed
circuit in Laredo, Texas. The results were three FIA-acknowledged diesel world
records over 100,000 kilometres at an average speed of 225.903 km/h, 50,000
miles at 225.456 km/h and 100,000 miles at 224.823 km/h. Despite the
extraordinary stresses, the maintenance-free diesel particulate filter worked
without any losses over the entire record distance – clearly demonstrating the
reliability and durability of this exhaust technology.
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