Vehicle: 2008 Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec with Bi-Xenon Headlight Pkg and Premium Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$72975

Performance: When Mercedes first came out with E320 CDI about 2 years ago, we were impressed enough. That was then. Mercedes is a car company that never rest on its laurels. When it comes to diesel technology, Mercedes has proved they can upped the ante with their latest Bluetec technology. Just how far has this Bluetec improved over the existing CDI. The horsepower has jumped from a 201 to 210 while torque has improved from a healthy 369 to an astounishing 400 lb/ft. Even if the horsepower increase isn’t significant, its the torque that is most important for diesel. 369 lb/ft of torque already better than equivalent E500 back in those days. 400 lb/ft of torque, has once again, put its V8 E550 silibings, behind. And that is from a V6 diesel powertrain. This DOHC 24-valve V6 Bluetec has amazing level of engine refinement and quality. The NVH quality really has engineered to put many of those quiet V8 engines to shame. Its so quiet on the inside, you can hardly noticed its a diesel. Its only on the outside that you can hear slight diesel sound. Matched with this wonderful Bluetec is Mercedes’s hallmark 7-Gronic gearbox with manumatic shift variety. The ratios are excellent, which are low enough for quick acceleration and quiet enough for Autobahn-like cruising. Mercedes gearbox has always been known for its level of crispeness and smoothness, this unit is no exception. Whenever you put the responsive throttle down, there is always the usual Mercedes quietness to combined with its performance authority.

Handling: What makes this Bluetec handles as delightfully as any E-Class has gone before? It all begins with a rock-solid chassis that is from anyone else but Mercedes. With 50/50 perfect weight distribution from its rear-drive configuration and a rightly calibrated suspension, its not hard to imagine how good can this Merc handles. The steering is sharp and responsive, while being extremely precise. The Mercedes trait of slightly dead off-center feel remains intact on highway speed. Suspension is firm enough to enjoy all the black top twisties while supple enough to provide superb ride quality. Both suspension and springs are supple without being bouncy and comfortable without being softly sprung. Not to mention Mercedes’s amazing high-speed stability remains intact in the latest E-Class. Even if the ESP is an instrusive variety, as one expects from Mercedes’s safety first priority, its safe enough for Bluetec’s status of lives as a comfortable and efficient luxury sports sedan.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, this Bluetec sedan shines through the braking tests. The stopping distance is short without exhibiting any kinds of brake fades after a couple of hard stops. Pedal feel and modulation are simple world-class.

Interior: Slip behind the wheel of this Bluetec, everything else is typical Mercedes E-Class affairs. The use of excellent plastic and leather materials in the cabin. The thick leather seats provide awesome support for cruising, surprising amount of side support when an enthuisastic driver wants to have fun on the twisties. There are enough wood trim to add warmth. Instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. Automatic climate control is both smart and effective.

Conclusion: The Bluetec is, without a doubt, the best diesel-powered passenger car I have ever driven. Other than its class-leading 6.8 seconds 0-100 km/h acceleration figure, it also have all the merits that make a gasoline-powered E-Class without paying the huge gas bill. What really amazed me is the average fuel economy we got during our initial test drive. An average of 8 liters per 100 km is a truly amazing figure for a luxury car weighting in at 3850 pounds. It proves you can have a cake and eat it too.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2008 Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 5/5