Tag Archives: Mercedes Diesel

February 1936: the diesel engine celebrates its premiere in the passenger car

Posted on by
  • The Mercedes-Benz 260 D of 1936 was the first series-production passenger car with a diesel engine
  • Diesel technology at Mercedes-Benz is an almost one hundred year history of innovation
  • Modern car diesel engines are economical, powerful and refined power units
  • BlueTEC and hybrid drive make the diesel an engine technology for the future
Stuttgart – The Mercedes-Benz 260 D in the W 138 series was the world’s first series-production diesel passenger car. In February 1936 – 50 years after the invention of the petrol-powered automobile by Carl Benz – Mercedes-Benz presented this revolutionary vehicle at the International Motorcycle and Automobile Exhibition in Berlin. Its 2.6-litre OM 138 four-cylinder engine with the Mercedes-Benz pre-chamber system and a Bosch injection pump developed 33 kW (45 hp) at 3200 rpm, and was installed in the chassis of the petrol-powered Mercedes-Benz 200 with a long wheelbase. The Bosch Four-plunger injection pump allowed engine speeds of up to 3000 rpm and ensured rapid fuel delivery. Continue reading →

50 Years of Diesel in America

Posted on by

I just read a great article on Motor Trend website in regards to our diesel technology.  Back in 1959 Motor Trend wrote about our new diesel that was comming to America as the first diesel-powered mainstream automobile. They took a 5122 mile road trip across America in a 1960 190D “Ponton”.  

50 years later they made the same trip.  This time the 1960 190D was accompanied by our new 2009 ML320 BlueTEC.  The trip was broken down into 4 legs.  Irvine to Seattle,  Seattle to Denver, Denver to St. Louis, and lastly St. Louis to New York.  

Here is the numbers break down:

Continue reading →