Thinking about buying a new 2013 diesel car and looking at the options? We’re here to help.
Diesel offerings continue to gain ground. New for 2013 are the BMW 33d Sports Wagon, Chevy Cruze Diesel sedan, Mercedes GL250 BlueTEC SUV, Porsche Cayenne Diesel SUV, and the Volkswagen Beetle TDI. With tougher diesel emissions standards being implemented in Europe in 2014, we may see even more diesel engines crossing over the Atlantic to U.S. shores in the near future.
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When you think about the most aerodynamic cars, you typically think of the high mileage hybrid or even full electric cars like the Tesla or the Prius.
But Mercedes has taken aerodynamics to a new level with the 2014 CLA sedan, that should hit showrooms in the fall of 2013.
With a Cd figure of 0.23, the CLA sets a new benchmark among not only Mercedes models, but also all series-production vehicles. The frontal surface area, Cd x A – which is crucial to aerodynamic resistance – also leads the field at 5.49 sq. ft.
The good air flow characteristics, which have a major impact on fuel consumption under everyday driving conditions, are the result of extensive aerodynamic optimization. These include a low A-pillar shoulder with adapted A-pillar geometry, aerodynamically optimized exterior mirrors, low-drag wheel trims and serrated wheel spoilers on the front and rear wheel arches.
Extensive underbody cladding, additional cladding at the center of the rear axle, an aerodynamically optimized muffler and a diffuser improve the flow of air beneath the underbody.
The Mercedes CLA is a new sedan that takes design cues from the CLS coupe.
Although the car is billed as the most aerodynamic production car on the market, it is not marketed as a high mileage vehicle, and it will not be available as a hybrid or a high mileage clean diesel, at least initially.
Read more at Autoblog.
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