why no diesel, acc to my mechanic

[unicycle]

I spoke with the mechanic at my NYC dealership. He said that he'd heard that the diesel smarts don't have enough oomph to safely enter some highway entrance ramps. He guessed that a turbo version could get around that problem but might sacrifice too much mileage to be worthwhile.

Can anyone corroborate this info? I'm no expert on car engines.

[Old smart]

All of the diesels are turbos. The reason in one short word is "EPA." And, the decision by M-B to pursue other evolving options.

[SmartCard]

The diesel may be a turbo, but it is still a slug: 0 - 60 in just barely under 20 sec!

[Dougg]

I heard 40 hp for the diesel? Can't imagine that on the autobahn...

[JyveAFK]

70ish mpg though wasn't it? For city tootling about, that'd be acceptable, (that Micro Hybrid thingy to turn the engine off at stop lights too?). Real shame can't get Diesel's over here that common it appears. Trucks chuck out fumes and get naff all mileage, but a decent car that gets tons of miles isn't allowed? Stuff drilling off the Florida coast, get 'em to get efficient cars sorted.

[mdfortwoguy]

Meh, 2 weeks ago a friend from another smart forum came down from Canada and we hung out. He's got a 2006 pulse cdi with the equivelant of like 115K miles on it (already!). We shot onto the beltway and got stuck behind some fool who was going like 35 at the end of the ramp, and it still got up and went well enough to merge into 70 MPH traffic.

Seat of your pants means a lot more in these cases than just the numbers. His car does have a lag from a standing stop, enough that you have to compensate when making left hand turns so as to not turn in front of someone, but once it is rolling it moves just fine.

There are plenty of buses, trucks, older non-turbo Mercedes diesels, etc on the roads that are slower.

[Fowvay]

The biggest factor isn't the EPA but Mercedes Benz knowing full well that the magazines will slam the lil CDi for being dangerously slow. That people won't want to buy them for that reason etc. The total numbers just aren't there to justify spending the money on getting to pass the EPA protocols.

I've driven many slow diesels in my lifetime and enjoyed them immensely but do not look forward to repeating that process not in a day and age when vehicles like the Jetta Bluemotion are out and about. Sure you can drive an old 40hp diesel on todays highway but it's a lot of work and in my opinion too much of a pain to be enjoyable. A 999cc CRD with 60 to 75hp would be ideal in the 451 and I would buy that today. However the 45hp diesel in the current 451 just isn't enough grunt to get me really excited.

[Old smart]

The Canadian W450 799cc CDIs have 40 HP sure enough, but 74 Ft-Lb of torque, more than the W451 999cc gassers at 68 Ft-Lb. It is torque that gets you to speed, HP is only a derivitave that sustains speed.

The new W451 CDIs (still 799cc) are up to 45HP and 81 Ft-Lb torque, and will supposidely make EU5 requirements. Once EU6 goes into effect, they may not, and may likely only be sold in non-EU markets.

For the year 2009, US and EU5 standards pretty closely coincide. But in 2010, the US gets stricter again and the '09 window slams shut. I don't see the VW Jetta "Blue-whatever" making it with what they don't have (a BlueTec/AdBlue, aqueous urea anti-NOx system). The M-B E320 and VW Taureg are physically large enough vehicles to carry the full BlueTec/AdBlue package and they have the nationwide dealer structures to keep it going so they should be OK.

[Bum-bling-B]

Try an old 240D w/automatic tranny M-B or an old NA VW diesel. Slower than snail snot.

[Fowvay]

Originally Posted by Bum-bling-B

Try an old 240D w/automatic tranny M-B or an old NA VW diesel. Slower than snail snot.

I've had both and one even worse. An Isuzu I-Mark Diesel.... automatic. Pathetic car!!!