This maybe of some intrest; from June Popular Mechanics...."Spark-Plug-Free Mercedes. MB is back in the diesel business with a new, smooth, Quit, fuel-burning E-Class sedan. The E320 CDI is quick and quiet and emits no visible smoke from its tailpipes. With an est. 27 mpg/city and 37 mpg/hiway, it has a range of nearly 600 miles. At its heart is a 201 hp 3.2 liter inline 6 cyl turbodiesel that cranks out a tugboat-like 369ft.- lb of torque. That's only 20 hp less than a gasoline E320, but 137 ft-lb more. In fact, that's 30 ft-lb more than the V8 powered E500. The key to all this is a new common-rail high-pressure fuel-injection sys that shoots the fuel directly into each cyl. And the load-dependent rail allows constant fuel pressure to each injector simultaneously and on demand. The new variable-vane turbo allows for lagfree boost throughout the engines's rev range. Expect the E320 CDI to sell for under 50K." hummmmm

 

what's in the freightliner van/ fed. xpres? I know they are working well and great economy, around 26mpg at 80 mph!

 

It's a 3.2 or 3.8L I-5 HPCRD

 

2.7 I-5.

 

I heard dodge was going to a diesel/elec hybrid in the UPS trucks some time this year.

 

UPS is already using Liquid Natural Gas in some its bigger trucks so now that refueling infrastructure is in place they say they are more likely to expand in that direction rather than to electric hybrids.

 

There's a writeup here

http://www.businessweek.com/magazin...22/b3885058.htm