No, it won't smell like pee. Mercedes-Benz's new Bluetec diesel technology uses urea--derived from urine--to neutralize particulate emissions and make its GL320 and E320 Bluetec models the cleanest diesels in the world and fifty-state legal in the States. The urea solution must be replenished during normal maintenance stops, but there's no word yet on a rumored do-it-yourself kit based around a compact urinal. The 2007 E320 Bluetec is expected to attain 35 mpg combined fuel economy and goes on sale in the fall of 2006. The GL320 Bluetec and Grand Cherokee Bluetec will attain 25 mpg and are expected in early 2007. Chrysler also announced that a hybrid Bluetec SUV will go on sale in the near future.

In today's Mercedes-Benz press conference at NAIAS, John reports that DaimlerChrysler made a big effort to promote its BLUETEC diesels, which the company touts as "a new formula for powerful, efficient and clean diesel technology."

According to DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche, “As a powerful, economical and clean drive system, BLUETEC can significantly help American drivers continue to enjoy large, powerful cars for many years to come – whether you are looking at large sedans, vans, light trucks or SUVs. BLUETEC diesel vehicles have the potential to meet the world’s most stringent exhaust emissions standards, including those of all 50 US States.”

Our reading of this announcement is that it's DaimlerChrysler's shot across the bows of competing fuel efficiency solutions from Ford and GM, both of which are in parallel pushing gas/electric hybrids and E85 flexible fuel vehicles as their solution to (relatively) fuel efficient big cars.

The Mercedes E 320 BLUETEC will be launched in fall 2006 in the U.S., as the first BLUETEC passenger car going into series production. Based on the powerful 320 CDI V6-engine the Mercedes engineers have created the world’s cleanest diesel engine to date. The crucial factor for this is the latest innovation in the E 320 BLUETEC, a highly efficient technology that significantly reduces nitrogen oxide emissions. The fall 2006 U.S. launch coincides with the rollout in the U.S. market of the low-sulfur diesel fuel that BLUETEC requires.

A full press release on the BLUETEC diesel technology, with pictures and illustrations, can be found after the jump. The BLUETEC press release photo above not only demonstrates that the technology is applicable to everything from mid-size sedans to the monster Mercedes GL SUV, but the Jeep Grand Cherokee BLUETEC also signals DaimlerChrysler's intention to roll out this technology in Chrysler vehicles as well.

BLUETEC – the technology for the cleanest diesel in the world
Mercedes-Benz is launching a unique initiative at the NAIAS 2006 in Detroit. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer with the world's longest diesel tradition is unveiling two vehicles that pave the way for an all-new diesel vehicle genera-tion: the E 320 BLUETEC and the Vision GL 320 BLUETEC. Mercedes-Benz has modified specific aspects of the economical, powerful and robust 320 CDI en-gine, adding state-of-the-art emission-control technology to make it the cleanest diesel in the world. Mercedes-Benz has thus transformed the diesel engine into a clean and future-compatible system. That system is called BLUETEC.

Offering its customers the very best has become something of a maxim at Mer-cedes Benz, not least when it comes to designing and constructing vehicles. This is especially true in the case of diesel, a drive technology which now accounts for more than 50 percent of the European market thanks mainly to the fact that it offers excellent economy, longevity and robustness without compromising on driving enjoyment. Economically state-of-the-art diesel vehicles from Mercedes-Benz are one answer to the unstoppable rise in fuel prices, including in the US. Now, the brand's innovative BLUETEC technology makes the already economical diesel alternative cleaner than ever before.