mercedes

It's taken many years, but we've finally gotten a few diesel cars to choose from in the U.S. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen are all offering versions of their cars with diesel engines, and from what we've seen the fuel economy can be impressive. And unlike older diesel cars, these new models have good acceleration and no black soot spewing from the exhaust.

Check out five diesel cars you can buy in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz has announced the addition of new four-cylinder E 200 CDI and CGI BlueEfficiency models to the European 2010 E-Class lineup.

The thrifty E 200 CDI is powered by a common-rail, direct-injected, 2.1-liter, diesel engine that outputs 136-horsepower and a staggering 365 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 62 mph happens in a decent 10.2 seconds, but what's most impressive is the 45.2 mpg that it averages while doing so.

Those who want a little bit more speed can hit 62 mph in 8.7 seconds in the E 200 CGI, which is powered by a turbocharged, … Read more

The new E-class features quite a few cutting-edge driver aid gadgets, such as night vision, blind-spot detection, and adaptive cruise control. We saw these features previously in the Mercedes-Benz S550, but the E-class will also include Attention Assist, a new feature for Mercedes-Benz that keeps you from falling asleep at the wheel.

Attention Assist monitors the car's driver, using 70 parameters to determine if he or she is dozing off. If it detects a drowsy driver, the system sounds a warning tone and lights up a coffee cup icon on the speedometer display. The system relies heavily on monitoring … Read more

OK, not really. Although she did admit to it. But it had to do with Intel getting into Nokia phones somehow. Or did it have to do with the Clear Pass getting discontinued at airports? Or was it? And there were chickens. And turtles. You have to just listen.

Like Bigfoot, we now report on ‘Steve Jobs’ sightings http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10270847-37.html

Clear, aka the “TSA Fast Pass,” shuts down http://www.boingboing.net/2009/06/22/clear-aka-the-tsa-fa.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-13505_3-10270837-16.html… Read more

Ah, the good life, where your car negotiates traffic speeds for you and gives you a massage. The Mercedes-Benz S550 actually does all of the above, using its adaptive cruise control to not hit the car ahead and letting you choose from four settings on its massage seats. This car also gives you an enhanced view out the front for those pitch dark nights driving through the mountains, and a blind spot-warning system, alerting you to cars in the lanes to either side.

There is quite a bit to like about this car, but in our hypercritical way, we found … Read more

Chinese filtering software has been criticized for having holes. The solution? Fix it. How communist. We also give you a hack for getting free tethering on the iPhone and we bemoan the fate of MySpace.

Opera Unite aims to reinvent the Web http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2009/06/hi-my-name-is-opera-and-ill-be-your-server-today.html

http://mashable.com/2009/06/16/opera-unite/

AT&T won’t charge extra for MMS on iPhone http://www.applethoughts.com/news/show/94126/at-t-not-planning-on-charging-for-mms.html

…And here’s how … Read more

Did Saab just become a high tech supercar? BMW rewrites the rules for voice command, thankfully. Airbags in places you wouldn't believe. And a ride in a big, comfy, annoying Mercedes!

• Mercedes ESF 2009 safety car

• iPhone will finally get real turn-by-turn navigation

• BMW to dramatically ease voice command in cars

• GM opens up major new battery plant

• Kenwood DNX6140 nav head unit

In an effort to create the world's safest sedan, Mercedes-Benz has equipped its ESF 2009 S400 Hybrid Concept with more airbags than you can shake a stick at.

It starts with the Braking Bag, an auxiliary airbag mounted to the bottom in the vehicle floor that inflates when the ESF's systems conclude that an impact is unavoidable (within 0.6 seconds, or faster than a human reaction time). According to Mercedes, the Braking Bag basically adds additional friction to the road, thereby assisting the brakes and tires in slowing the vehicle quickly. As an added bonus, the Braking … Read more

In Berlin on Tuesday, Daimler and Finnish oil company Neste Oil announced the results of a year-long pilot project in which 14 Mercedes trucks and buses ran on nothing but sustainable biodiesel for one year.

Specifically, five medium-duty Mercedes-Benz Atego trucks, five heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz Actros vehicles, and four Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses were run exclusively on Neste's sustainably produced NExBTL renewable diesel fuel.

The biofuel, which includes hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) made from palm oil, is something Neste has been known to be working on in order to meet its goal of "100 percent sustainably produced" oil … Read more