Large, luxurious sedans — a vehicle type synonymous with Mercedes-Benz — have not been historically the most fuel-efficient of vehicles. But that will soon change with the new S400 Bluetec Hybrid.
Expected to arrive in U.S. showrooms in 2010, the S400 mates a Bluetec V-6 diesel with a 20-horsepower electric motor that Mercedes says offers "the performance of a V-8 with the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder." The hybrid system puts out 265 bhp and a full 465 lb.-ft. of torque, helping the Teutonic heavyweight earn an impressive 0–60-mph time of only 7.2 seconds while posting 40.5 mpg on the highway. Mercedes promises that the S400's diesel-hybrid drivetrain will be 50-state compliant upon its rollout in a couple years' time.
