2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec Sedan review notes: Torque and range make a diesel ideal in a luxury sedan

Torque and range make a diesel ideal in a luxury sedan A model year 2011 is shown. "

The 30.3 mpg fuel reading I achieved on my fill-up is the big deal about the Bluetec version of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. Returning more than 30 mp

If you need further proof that a turbodiesel is the ideal powerplant for a big luxury car, look no further than the E350 Bluetec. - Digital Editor And

This car confirms my long-held belief that Mercedes vehicles hold the most-comfortable, supportive driver's seats in the business. - Autoweek.com Edit

All I did was drive home, pick up dinner, and drive to work the next day with this car. But it is an excellent choice for enthusiasts who like power,

For all of the twist, this big sedan makes do with just 210 hp; you would never know it has such a humble output because it feels so strong and return

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: The 30.3 mpg fuel reading I achieved on my fill-up is the big deal about the Bluetec version of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. Returning more than 30 mpg is something very few luxury cars on the market today will deliver.

And rarely does 210 horsepower feel this stout. The six-cylinder diesel has no problem shoving more than two tons of luxury sheet metal, leather and wood around. Even two-lane passes are done with little drama.

If I were to buy an E-class, this would be the model. I'm surprised at how quickly the options added another $10 large to the sticker--things like heated seats I'd think would be standard. But as a complete package, this car offered up just about everything you'd want in a daily driver.

I did have to convince an off-duty police officer this morning at the Mobil station that I could actually put diesel fuel in this gleaming white Mercedes. He kept telling me I was at the wrong pump when actually I was right where I needed to be.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: If you need further proof that a turbodiesel is the ideal powerplant for a big luxury car, look no further than the E350 Bluetec. With its sense of mass and effortless torque, the sensation when moving away from a stoplight is akin to the takeoff roll in a Boeing 777. It's not the neck-snapping power you experience in an AMG as much as it is sheer thrust--the inevitability of forward movement.

Impressive, to be sure, but even more so was the fuel economy and range display explaining to me that I had 300 miles on the trip odometer and 540 more miles of range. When two tons of luxury sedan can get 36 mpg indicated in mixed driving with no extension cords, weird clunks or CVTs needed, I have to ask why so many manufacturers (and Americans) are wedded to the idea of hybrid/electric propulsion.

I know, I know--there's still the issue of exhaust after treatment and more expensive initial purchase costs, but the latter is certainly a feature of electrically assisted competitors. And is adding a gallon of BlueGoo every year really that big a deal?

So the E-class has my perfect powertrain. The rest of it is good, but still not my favorite luxury sedan. Mercedes hasn't done a great job of isolating the occupants from road imperfections, and it's not as quiet a vehicle as one would expect. A pothole strike, for example, is inelegantly felt through the floorboards as well as heard--Audi and BMW do a better job of damping, an issue I also noted in the gas-powered E-class we had several months ago.

The E350 interior is a delightful place in which to spend time, with no untoward diesel rattles finding its way into the cabin (not that yours truly would mind). I still say Mercedes, with its mock old-school radio dial, has the best satellite radio interface in the business, and I like the COMAND infotainment system. But Benz, move the cruise control stalk away--far away--from the turn signals.

Nits for picking, that's all; the bottom line is that, were I in the market for a mid-level luxury car, the E350 Bluetec would be at the top of a short list. With that said, a diesel A6 could change my mind quickly.

AUTOWEEK.COM EDITOR DALE JEWETT: A full report on this car could be headlined, “Seduced by Diesel.”

The second refueling (327.2 miles on 9.494 gallons = 34.46 mpg) is the intoxicating part. The miles were racked up in highway cruising during a short road trip

This E350 Bluetec is such an effortless highway cruiser. Locking in the cruise control at 75 mph has the 3.0-liter V6 turning just under 2,000 rpm--and at the start of the trip the range gauge is saying there are 790 miles before a stop is mandatory! (The E350 Bluetec has a 20-gallon fuel tank.) Oh, think of the road trips I can take with such range.

Two grand on the tach is right in the heart of the torque band. A light prod of the throttle is all it takes for a power surge to pass other traffic. And I have no problem with the placement of the Benz's cruise control stalk--flicking in and out of cruise mode is a breeze.

But the powertrain is only one part of the E350 Bluetec's seduction. This car confirms my long-held belief that Mercedes vehicles hold the most-comfortable, supportive driver's seats in the business. (BMW, Audi and Volvo run a close second in my book.) Even though the seat in this Benz doesn't have billions of adjustments, it wraps my backside nicely. I'm sure that I could burn off all 700-plus miles of fuel range and get out of the car feeling fresh, not tortured.

This car's steering is nicely weighted--no need to saw the wheel back and forth, just point it in the direction you want and hold it steady. And I find the suspension setup in the sweet spot for road feedback while soaking up most minor to moderate road imperfections with aplomb.

What truly makes this car a fine daily driver is that it performs flawlessly in the stop-and-go of city life. Again, the broad torque band low in the rev range is great for getting away from stoplights. And once you reach cruising speed the car just rolls along. The icing on the cake is the Harmon/Kardon sound system with a meaty bass range. Whether it is the satellite radio, or your plugged-in music source, the E350 Bluetec is your private concert hall. And that's sweet music to my ears--and backside.

ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: The base price difference between the gas E350 sedan and this diesel Bluetec model is $1,200. If you ask me, that's not a big premium for having 400-lb-ft available to you from just 1,600 rpm and insane range. The thrust makes this E-class sedan a pleasure to drive around.

The Wong family had a diesel Mercedes SEL in the late 1980s and that thing smoked like a chimney and clanked like it was going out of style. Though my mom loved the pickup it had rolling away from stoplights. After the diesel she got a regular gas SEL and loathed the lack of torque, but was glad to not have to diesel with the nasty diesel fuel pumps at gas stations and liked the quieter operation. There's a little bit of diesel clank at throttle tip-in, but that's it. My mom would approve of this diesel.

As for the drive, the car is comfortable for leisurely trips around town. Steering feels light on center and tightens up some when you crank in more angle and in typical Mercedes form, the brake pedal is squishy.

The exterior styling doesn't do much for me being boring and all, but the cabin is beautifully built and comfortable to be ideal for long drives. So if you combine the comfortable interior and the excellent range the diesel is capable of returning, the E350 Bluetec just might be one of the best road trip options out there.

COPY CHIEF CYNTHIA L. OROSCO-WRIGHT: Such a fine ride this 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec is--and the fact that my eye kept returning to the 670-mile-plus range of the fuel tank makes this Benz a pretty fine package. Yes, it's a diesel, and yes, you'll pay more up front and maybe even at the pump these days. But fuel of any type is pricey now, and when a full tank gets you likely more than 700 miles, imagine all of the commuting and errand running you could do and all of the road trips you could make without having to refuel?

As others have noted, this car isn't a speed demon, but it still feels quite quick. (The sheetmetal also gives the car the sense of being in motion.) Hit the pedal, and the car moves with authority. You do feel the weight of the car through the wheel, but it's not a bad thing. The car always felt planted over the roads that make up my commute route, but I definitely felt bumps and cracked roadways. Those truly upset the Benz. Amazing that this wouldn't be better smoothed out in a luxury vehicle such as this. Otherwise, the drive was uneventful, and the brakes provided good stopping power.

The cabin keeps you well coddled, with the very supportive and comfy seats, the wraparound style of the dash and having all of the necessary controls easily at reach. I could be very happy inside this E350 for miles on end, especially with the rockin' sound system.

I'm not a fan, though, of the gear-selector stalk being on the steering wheel. Yes, I'm used to this setup now in various Benzes, but I don't like it. I could see someone wanting to flick on the wipers or signal a turn and instead shift the car into a different gear, which could be dangerous.

My other nit is that it feels as if the pedals are set very far forward in the footwell. I am only five-foot-four, and I had to move the seat so far forward to be able to reach the pedals that I had an odd-angle view of the rearview mirror. It was sort of uncomfortable.

Otherwise, two thumbs up for this E350 Bluetec.

NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: The diesel six is truly righteous in this thing. All of that torque, 400 lb-ft, at just 1,600 rpm, good lord. I don't think I even maxed it out, as I was mired in rush hour traffic, but just a jab of your foot produces a hell of a rush.

For all of the twist, this big sedan makes do with just 210 hp; you would never know it has such a humble output because it feels so strong and returns such response.

The cabin is quiet and comfortable, well-appointed and handsome in its execution and demeanor. The ambient lighting, the wood-colored trim, and the leather--it all says luxury.

I like the steering with its light feel in your wrists on center, offers nice feedback. Indeed, it's easy to maneuver this cruise ship through turns and curves with little effort. Well-done chassis, too, it's comfy but not overly soft. It's a fine line, but this car toes it.

All I did was drive home, pick up dinner, and drive to work the next day with this car. But it is an excellent choice for enthusiasts who like power, and consumers who could truly benefit from diesel technology and efficiency.

Base Price: $52,565

As-Tested Price: $62,010

Drivetrain: 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel V6; RWD, seven-speed automatic

Output: 210 hp @ 3,800 rpm, 400 lb-ft @ 1,600-2,400 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,255 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 25/30.6 mpg

Options: Premium package 1 including Comand system with hard-drive GPS navigation, real-time traffic data, voice control, music register, Harman/Kardon Logic7 surround sound system, HD radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, iPod/MP3 media interface and cable, heated front seats, power rear-window sunshade and rear view camera ($4,000); black leather ($1,620); diamond white paint ($1,515); Parktronic with parking guidance ($970); lane tracking package including blind spot assist and lane keeping assist ($850); heated steering wheel ($490)

For more information: Check out the 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350 Bluetec Sedan at shopautoweek.com.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic review notes: A comfortable and fast GT car

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: This 2012

Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic is a terrific looking coupe for the most part, and drives just as good as it looks. But this car suffers from something we've seen on many cars: a lagging throttle that, at most times, is simply disconcerting while, at other times, downright dangerous. Like when you pull out into an intersection, nail the throttle in an attempt to get out of the way of oncoming traffic, only to sit there a second or two before the electronics figure out that you really want to go. When it makes up its mind, it goes—and goes like hell. The V8 here is outstanding, with oodles of low-end grunt pushing this nearly 5,000-pound ride with ease. The speedo glides toward triple digits quickly.

This car has a ton of fancy gadgets, including active sport seats (that, thankfully, can be easily switched off via the console-mounted controller), lane-departure warning as well as the vibrating steering wheel when you cross a line on the road. Plus, the sound system rocks, and this car is as quiet as any on the road, save for the Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II I drove recently that, well, sets a whole new standard for quiet.

All in all, the CL is a great looking car with monster horsepower and a bevy of high-tech equipment.

ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: Definitely a GT car this Mercedes-Benz

CL550 4Matic is. It's big, heavy and packs a heck of a lot of power. There's 516 lb-ft of torque available from just 1,800 rpm, which gets your attention. However, Roger is right about the throttle tip-in at launch being muted; this, in part, could be blamed on turbo lag. But once the turbochargers are boosting at 12.9 pounds, this big coupe gets moving in a hurry, its seven-speed automatic gearbox performing seamless shifts.

Considering its weight and with the help of the 19-inch rubber, it takes bends with respectable composure with some roll. Steering on the majority of Mercedes vehicles remains an issue for me—a numb feel and muted response. The other thing I'm not high on with Benz cars in general is a squishy brake pedal feel.

But, as I said, this is a GT car. It smoothly glides down the road, easily damping out bumps and potholes, and the cabin is well isolated from almost all wind and road noise. And then there is the big dose of technology goodies such as the active lane-keeping assist that vibrates the steering wheel ever so slightly if you begin drifting out of your lane. And then there are the very cool massaging seats.

Personally, I like my cars with a sportier flavor, so my big luxury coupe of choice would be the BMW 6-series for tighter steering and chassis dynamics. For those that value a plusher cabin and more comfortable ride, the CL is perfect.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: This S-class-based coupe is among the best money can buy, with a stunning array of equipment to handle comfort, convenience, driving pleasure and safety. Want a massage while hurtling along at 80 mph? The only question is whether you prefer “fast and vigorous” or something a little lighter. Need help finding your way in the dark or staying between the lines? Night vision is there to guide you, while lane-keeping assist buzzes the steering wheel to keep you on the straight and narrow. Tired of the incessant braking and acceleration of the daily commute? Dial-up Distronic Plus and let the CL's active cruise control handle the throttle and brake for most of the drive.

Maybe the average sports-car buyer finds all that a little much, but for those seeking a livable, do-everything luxury coupe, those are just some of the key elements that makes this Benz special. Equally impressive are the turbo V8 and seven-speed automatic that respond with plenty of thrust on demand. I noted the slight lag on launch, but punching up sport mode seemed to eliminate most of it. I suspect it is a deliberate fuel-saving lag built into Eco mode.

I found the CL a lovely cruiser for weekend duty, one that was happy to step up its game when I wanted to push it a bit in the corners or get a little frisky on the freeway. That's when a little toggling of the center stack gets you active seat bolstering to keep your spine perfectly in line with your driving style. Nice.

NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: This is perhaps the standard for personal luxury coupes on the market. It's understated yet opulent, and the powertrain is impressive, except for the lagging throttle, as others have pointed out. That flaw is unsettling, and when one first is getting their bearings in this car, it's upsetting. Otherwise, the engine is a rocket, the transmission is excellent and all-wheel drive is an almost unexpected option. There are few coupes that send power to all four wheels, and in this execution it feels powerful, fast and fun.

The cabin is gorgeous. Our sampler came with dark and cream pieces, set off with a stately trim of brighter, metal-like materials. The analogue clock in the center adds a nice element of class, and it's actually easier to simply glance over at it for the time—rather than searching through a digital maze of gadgetry. I love how there are no B-pillars bisecting the door openings, which makes for an old-fashioned, airy experience.

The exterior styling is simple, elegant and almost below-the-radar. I wouldn't have immediately guessed this German luxury machine was this expensive.

So that's my final analysis. The CL is gorgeous. And save for the wonky throttle—darn near perfect. For more than $128,000, it should be.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Perfect? Really? To me, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic is just an alphanumeric designation for sloth. The number of electrically assisted bits in this car approaches the absurd. Don't quite shut the door hard enough? The CL will close it for you with a whirr. Ditto the trunk. The programming for the power seats had to have taken a team of coders at least a month, and that's not even including the active bolsters, by far the most obnoxious, unnecessary gimmick I've encountered yet.

The bigger issue is that so many of these gimmicks don't work particularly well. The active bolsters, for example, serve only to jab one in the ribs, surprising the driver at exactly the moment he needs the most concentration. Yes, they can be turned down (even off), but our tester defaulted to the maximum motion setting upon restart.

The overpowered seats also attempted to claim a victim in the form of my 3-year-old son, seated behind me. To Mercedes' credit, I was able to position the seat so we both had good legroom. But as soon as I stopped the car and opened the door, the seat automatically began to slide back—the object is to provide the driver additional egress room, but it neglected to account for my son's feet.

The CL550 also earns the dubious distinction of being the first car in my time at Autoweek that I absolutely could not get to sync with my phone. No amount of coaxing, menu navigating, searchabilitizing or otherwise would get my old, personal LG flip phone to talk to the Benz. Nor could I get the driver and passenger temperature controls to sync, for that matter.

To be sure, the CL550 is a gorgeous car inside and out, and the blown V8 is a delight once the driver figures out where in the throttle travel acceleration actually might take place. The turbos even offer a subtle but distinctly jet-like whistle upon hard acceleration, evoking a Gulfstream V on takeoff roll.

But what goodness lives beneath the CL's sheetmetal is wrapped in so much obnoxious fluff it's nearly invisible. This car embodies the recliners to which the flaccid, obese occupants of the Axiom, the spaceship-turned-surrogate-Earth from the Pixar movie WALL-E, were tethered: the pursuit of convenience eventually breeding useless automatons.

Just because you can electrically assist something, Mercedes, doesn't mean you should.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR DAVID ARNOUTS: The CL550 is an interesting bird. After a night with it, there are things I love and things I loathe.

It reminds me of having a multiple personality complex, not that it's trying to be something it isn't, but with one good thing comes some bad.

It has great power, the engine sounds wonderful, but the delivery with the laggy throttle as everyone mentions holds it back. Even just exiting a driveway requires more pedal input than my brain is trained to do.

The interior is great: I loved it. Aside from the sound of the engine, it was my favorite part. The ambient lighting was a nice classy touch. It felt like a proper grand tourer—spacious, opulent with a hint of athleticism. The fit and finish were typical Benz, but when confronted with the sticker price I was more than surprised. My guess was far lower than the MSRP on this one.

But with the great interior came great headaches. Having turned off the dynamic-seat option, I felt ahead of the game, but was sorely disappointed when I tried to use the climate-control system.

As Andy pointed out, there is a lot of whiz-bang gadgetry in here, and it doesn't necessarily help.

I'm convinced the air-conditioning vents have a motor to allow how much air flows when I open or close the vents. It's absurd. Trying to regulate the air conditioning was comical at times, the system going from “off” to “full-blown arctic” with delayed responses for the computer calculations.

Overall, the Benz has some redeeming merits, but not without some annoying flaws. Is the car worth all $128,515? Well, that's up to you and your wallet to decide.

2012 Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic

Base Price: $114,100

As-Tested Price: $128,515

Drivetrain: 4.6-liter twin-turbocharged V8; AWD, seven-speed automatic

Output: 429 hp @ 5,250 rpm, 516 lb-ft @ 1,800-3,500 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,619 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA combined city/highway): 18.8 mpg

Options: Sport package including 19-inch AMG five-spoke wheels, all-season tires; sport body styling including front and rear bumpers, side skirts ($5,900); Premium package including rearview camera, drive-dynamic multicontour front seats with massage, night-view assist plus with pedestrian detection ($3,490); Driver-Assistance package including Distronic Plus adaptive cruise control with pre-safe brake; active blind-spot assist, active lane-keeping assist ($2,950); splitview ($875); heated steering wheel ($490)

For more information: Check out the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic at shopautoweek.com

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Autoweek loves passionate comments and debate, but remember that you're part of a diverse community. Above all: be respectful. Critique statements, not people; talk about the automotive world, but skip the political rhetoric, hate speech, and obscenities. While we can't read every post, this site is moderated and Autoweek will remove comments as we see fit. Questions? Read our Terms of Use or email moderator@autoweek.com.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class driven

£23,270 Driven August 2012

This is not an A-Class. Rather, it is an A-Class, but not as we know it. The smallest Merc has always been a lumpen little oddity, a mini-MPV big on practicality but short on desirability, but the new A approaches the small-posh-car-for-small-posh-families dilemma from an entirely different angle. Problem is, if, like Merc, you're wedded to a letter-based naming system and you want to denote a car smaller than a B-Class, you're pretty much stuck with the A-prefix. Damn you, alphabet!

So, if not an A, what is this? Simple: a conventional five-door, front-wheel-drive hatch that's a square-on rival to Audi's A3 Sportback, a top-end VW Golf and the (admittedly rear-drive) BMW 1-Series.

The design is... well, let's just say there's a lot of it going on. Rising swage lines, extravagant creases, Christmas-tree LED clusters: as you wander round the car with a bemused expression on your face, squinting eyes and tilting neck, you begin to wonder if Merc designers were paid by the line rather than by the day. Overall, though, we think the A-Class works. Make up your own minds, but we will say this: it looks better in the metal than in photos, especially with the optional big wheels, black gloss bits, pointy Sport grille and giganto-sunroof. Merc dealers will be rubbing their hands in glee as potential customers peruse the options list.

At great expense and employing the latest in audionanotechnology, Top Gear has installed a microscopic soundcard in this page, allowing you to experience how it sounds to travel in the A-Class at 70mph on a gritty motorway. To activate it, press your ear to the page - yep, like that... closer... hear it? The distinctive sound of absolutely nothing at all? That is the noise made by the A-Class travelling at speed. Glorious, soothing silence, the sense of being a long way from the outside world.

That's what this A-Class is all about: big-car refinement in a smallish package. The old A - at least every one I drove - was a grizzly, rattly old thing, but this car feels as solid and impermeable as an S-Class: not bulky, just superbly built and cosseting. The A-Class wafts along like a far bigger, pricier machine, road- and wind noise near imperceptible from within the confines of the reassuringly expensive-feeling cabin.

It's very nice in here. The A-Class neatly melds the austere elegance of bigger Benzes with a gently schporty twist, with fat metal air vents inspired by the SLS, wavy surfaces and masses of soft-touch plastics and posh leather. We couldn't lay our hands on a truly base-spec A, but even the cheapest models get nice seats, a big colour display and many electronic goodies.

There's more than a hint of S-Class to the driving experience, too. Whether this is good or bad rather depends what you want from your mini-Merc. Until the 340bhp A45 AMG arrives next year, you'd assume the A-Class of choice would be the range-topping A250 petrol, with its 208bhp two-litre turbo engine. It isn't. Yes, the A250 is rapid - 0-62mph takes less than seven seconds and it'll run to 150mph - but it offers up all the fingertip involvement of a game of Operation in woollen mittens. The A200 petrol, with its 154bhp version of the same engine, is equally ponderous.

This may make it sound as if TG did not enjoy driving the A-Class. We did. The trick is to ignore the petrols and go diesel, at which point the A suddenly begins to make much sense. We mainly drove the A200 CDI, which has a 1.8-litre developing 134bhp and 221lb ft of torque. It is treaclesome and good: not as revvy and petrol-impersonating as BMW's latest diesels, but smooth and effortlessly quick.

There's a sub-100g/km-CO2 A180 diesel on the way, and a more powerful 168bhp A220 CDI. We drove the latter but - at least with the so-so seven-speed double-clutch 'box rather than the six-speed manual - it felt barely brawnier than the A200, which is potent enough for most. As a measure of the diesel A's refinement, we kept whacking into its limiter, not because it's a low-revving engine but because you're so insulated from chunter that you've no idea it's near the red line.

If you feel the need to hustle it, the little A proves to be a quick way of making progress, multi-link rear suspension soaking up bad tarmac and the steering and gearshift quick and clean. Most of the time, though, it's nicer to hush quietly along, embracing your inner Captain Slow rather than your inner Stig. This is why you should steer clear of the Sports suspension and instead stick to the standard Comfort chassis. If you can handle the ignominy of rolling on the base-spec 16-inch wheels, we'd recommend those too, sacrificing a bit of grip and bling for velvety ride quality. Diesel, comfort, little wheels: Top Gear does not know what has come over it.

Some might argue Merc has missed a trick by not imbuing its smallest, lightest car with snappier road manners, but there are enough small hatches around with Nürburgring aspirations. The bigger issue may be the new A's lack of practicality compared to its boxtastic predecessor.

The rear seats are just about acceptable for six-footers, provided they're not preserving a vertical hairstyle, while bootspace is bijou: worse, even, than the new BMW 1-Series. Having less bootspace than a 1-Series is like having fewer tax scruples than Jimmy Carr.

But this new A was never intended to out-practicalate the original A. Instead, think of it as a mini C-Class - a posh, easy-going Merc that should fit in city parking spaces and shouldn't cripple you on company car tax - and you'll get on just fine. It's no madcap hot hatch, the A-Class, but it's a classy little thing.

Sam Philip

The numbers
1796cc, 4cyl, RWD, 134bhp, 221lb ft, 65.7mpg, 111g/km CO2, 0-62 in 9.3secs, 131mph, 1370kg

The verdict
Not adrenaline-charged, not very practical, but interesting to look at and a lovely place to be on a long journey. A very Merc-ish take on a conventional formula, and a successful one.