Mercedes-Benz C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY

Mercedes-Benz C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY - reduces motoring costs through lower emissions and road tax

Fuel economy improved by 11%, emissions by 18g/km, road tax down 30% and savings of over £350 per year for company car drivers, versus outgoing model.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has been a great success since it launched in June 2007 and now gains one of the first BlueEFFICIENCY engines to launch in the UK. The C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY replaces the existing model and makes all the motoring cost savings standard for drivers, with no increase in the on the road price.

BlueEFFICIENCY is the name Mercedes-Benz has given to a range of measures to improve fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions. The C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY does just that, with weight saving measures, energy management and enhanced aerodynamics.

Performance of the C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY engine is as good as ever still boasting 156hp and 230Nm of torque, despite a 199cc reduction in displacement. Fuel consumption has been improved by up to 11 per cent with the manual saloon returning 44.8mpg on the combined cycle. This can be improved further as the C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY model will be among the first to benefit from a fuel economy indicator and a new Shift Point Indicator. Both of these measures encourage the driver to monitor the effects their driving style has on fuel economy.

CO2 emissions have been reduced by an impressive 19 per cent now emitting just 149g/km. The 18g/km reduction makes the C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY model an attractive choice for fleet managers as the CO2 improvements result in a shift from the 21 per cent tax band to the 17 per cent company car tax band. This will see savings of up to £30.90 a month and a yearly saving of £370.80 (based on 40 per cent taxpayer).

Non-fleet customers also stand to benefit from the CO2 reduction as the model moves from road fund licence band E to C creating a £50.00 saving.

Part of this emissions improvement has been thanks to the 195/60 low rolling-resistance tyres that will be fitted to SE saloon models as standard. New, smaller exterior mirrors improve the aerodynamics of the car and feature the new LED arrow shaped indicator lens also featured on new-generation models launched earlier this year. Another advantage of the new BlueEFFICIENCY C-Class model is the efficient energy management system which only activates power-assisted steering when it is needed.

There is no price increase for the C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY; in fact the OTR price for the car is lower than the existing model, by £50 for the saloon and £35 for the estate, thanks to the CO2 improvements. The C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY SE saloon OTR is £23,350 and the estate is £24,757.

Deliveries of the new C180 Kompressor BlueEFFICIENCY model start in January 2009 and as with all Mercedes-Benz cars comes with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty and up to 30-year anti-corrosion and European breakdown assistance package.