Head of Mercedes Car Group Dr Eckhard Cordes announces that the diesel particulate filter is to be made standard equipment

Geneva - From summer 2005 Mercedes-Benz is to be the world's first automobile manufacturer to equip all its diesel passenger cars with a particulate filter as standard. The diesel initiative initially applies in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland. This was announced today by Dr Eckhard Cordes, the Head of the Mercedes Car Group, at the start of the Geneva Motor Show.

"From summer this year we will equip all diesel car models from the A-Class to the forthcoming S-Class with a diesel particulate filter as standard in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland", Cordes said in Geneva. A total of 30 different models are thus involved. The particulate filter system developed by Mercedes-Benz is maintenance-free and operates without additives. The filter is regenerated by appropriate adjustment of various engine functions.

At the Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz is emphasising its technological leadership in the field of car diesel engines. "Nowadays our diesels are as powerful and sporty as the very latest petrol units. At the same time they offer more torque and are particularly economical, environmentally friendly and smooth", Cordes stated, referring to diesel technology as a core area of competence of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Cordes: "At present around 56 percent of all Mercedes passenger cars in Western Europe are ordered with a diesel engine - that is a new record in the history of our brand."

The world's first car diesel engine entered series production at Mercedes-Benz exactly 70 years ago. To mark this anniversary, the Stuttgart manufacturer is presenting seven models from all its vehicle categories in Geneva, providing an interesting insight into current and future diesel technology and showing the versatility of the modern compression-ignition engine. This presentation includes two fascinating sports car studies: an SLK 320 CDI with a 210-kW/286-hp triturbo diesel engine (630 Newton metres) and the Vision SL 400 CDI with a new eight-cylinder engine which is soon to enter series production at Mercedes-Benz. With an output of 231 kW/315 hp and a torque of 730 Newton metres, this future V8 engine is the world's most powerful car diesel unit. Cordes: "This engine shows that the future of the diesel has only just begun."

The new diesel models by Mercedes-Benz also include the CLK 320 CDI Cabriolet, which will be available from the fourth quarter of 2005.

World premiere of the B-Class: a Mercedes-Benz in new dimensions

Two powerful, high-torque diesel engines are also installed in the new B-Class, which is celebrating its world premiere in Geneva. With this model series, Mercedes-Benz is for the first time putting into practice the new Sports Tourer concept, which takes the advantages of different vehicle types and combines them into a distinctive profile of its own: as a Compact Sports Tourer, the B-Class is characterised by generous space, exemplary comfort, excellent practicality, an exciting design and a high level of driving pleasure. The body of the B-Class has a length of 4270 millimetres, which puts it in the compact car size category. In the interior, however, the new Mercedes model is superior to cars of comparable size in this segment in all comfort-related respects, e.g. shoulder-room, legroom and headroom. Moreover, at a maximum of 2245 litres the B-Class exceeds the load capacity of a large estate car.

High-torque CDI diesel engines and up-to-date petrol units back up the Sports Tourer concept's claim to provide excellent performance and a high level of driving pleasure. There is a choice of six four-cylinder engines with outputs ranging from 70 kW/95 hp to 142 kW/193 hp. The fuel consumption of the most powerful diesel model, the B 200 CDI (103 kW/140 hp), is only 5.6 litres per 100 kilometres (combined consumption).

Contact:

Global Product Communications Mercedes-Benz Passen- ger Cars

Norbert Giesen,

Telephone: +49 711 76422

norbert.giesen@daimlerchrysler.com

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