AMG going green

AMG is well known as the serious performance upgrade to the run-of-the-mill Mercedes-Benz. With that AMG badging comes ridiculous amounts of horsepower and torque, and a look that's different enough to stand out from the rest of the pack in the valet line. Of course, all this goodness comes at a cost, both in MSRP and at the pump.

[Source: Autoblog via TheCarConnection]

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While the cost of gasoline is unlikely to cause most AMG owners financial hardship, the folks over at AMG do know that fuel economy and environmental concerns are making headlines right now. In a recent conversation with the The Car Connection, AMG Executive Volker Mornhingweg said that AMG is looking at adding green tech, and that hybrids and diesels were on the table. A hybrid CLK 63? That doesn't seem like an ideal match, but the diesel option seems to be a viable one, though. After all, AMG has at its disposal the fabulous BLUETEC technology that meets even the strictest emissions rules while providing terrific fuel economy.

The big problem right now with a potential BLUETEC AMG car is that half of all AMGs worldwide are sold in the US, and diesels aren't exactly popular here. DCX will have to think long and hard before making such a drastic change to its performance division's powerplant of choice. If the brilliant AMG engineers can crank 700 lb-ft of torque and 0-60 times in under 5 seconds from a twin-turbo diesel while getting 25 mpg or better, we're sure we won't care if it's diesel or gasoline-based.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/15/amg-looks-to-the-future-sees-green/

Posted in: Green,Mercedes-Benz,Tuning