German Car Zone

Feeling guilty about the fuel consumption of your Mercedes-Benz S-class, but unwilling to give up the luxury touches and craftsmanship that you've become accustomed to? The 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid could be just what you need.

The BlueHybrid isn't a diesel hybrid. Though the name sounds like the car is a Bluetec hybrid, the engine is a familiar 3.5-liter V-6 that burns gasoline, not diesel, but the hybrid car's engine uses the Atkinson cycle instead of the familiar Otto cycle. The starter and alternator are replaced with an electric motor that fits between the flexplate and torque converter, a transformer is added, the air conditioning pump is replaced with an electric unit, and finally the steering is electrohydraulic. Providing power for all these electronic gadgets is a lithium-ion battery. These are about all the major changes needed to turn an S-class into a mild-hybrid vehicle.

To be clear, the S400 is not a competitor to the Lexus LS600hL. The Mercedes can't move under electric power alone, but there is absolutely no change in interior or trunk volume. Thankfully the mechanical package slots easily into a basic S-class, and nobody would ever know your car was a hybrid if it weren't for the badging. The S400 BlueHybrid is more like the Chevrolet Malibu hybrid, but also far more sophisticated. Another benefit to the relatively small package is a modest gain in weight. Hybrid S-classes only weigh 75 kilograms (165 lb) more than a comparable non-hybrid model, which is about the weight of a passenger and not something you would notice in a car this heavy.


Full Blog: We Drive the 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid


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