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comming to this thread late:
I drive a Mercedes E320CDi... that's the stright 6 direct injection diesel.. prior to that I had a W124 coupe... (the best car I ever owned.. or probably ever will own.. unless I get a R129)
E320CDi
~200hp
0-60 in 8 seconds
144mph top speed
I can get 36mpg US on a run... it would be higher but for the gearbox (sloppy torque converter)
The W210 onwards are a ***** to eco-mod. The entire system in run on a CAN-bus, and everything talks with everything else. So if you want to change the way the box works, you'll spend a LOOOOOOONNNNG time hacking code.
I've given up... and I'm a pricipal engineer specialising in electronics (RF/mix signal/embedded/production etc. etc.)
If you could take just the engine and lock the torque converter up properly then it might be more efficient as you could keep the revs down more.
I'd also be wanting to look at all the ancillary bits and bobs. With a fuel pump capable of delivering 200hp of fuel it's pumping away all the time as it's on a direct drive, so that's a load of energy used in just pumping fuel back and forth.
Alternatively a W211 E270CDi manual could be a good solution.
5 cylinders.. 177BHP, 45mpg (US) extra urban.
Mercs can be expensive to run... or not, if you know a little about cars and can find a good independant merc specialist.
Merc quality used to be bullet proof (W124/R129) then it went all rusty on the W210, things improved a bit on the facelift W210 and W211, better on the facelift W211. There was an almighty b@!!s up on the W212 injectors but that's been dealt with very well.. we'll have so see how things pan out from here, things do seem to have gone better now Merc have parted from Crysler.
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