2005 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI

In the early 1990's I had an "hour-long-with-good-traffic" daily commute into downtown Ottawa. The decision to buy my first diesel car, a Volkswagen Golf, seemed wise at the time.

With the Golf generating about 50 horsepower, the only drivers I threatened at stoplights were the one's with two wheels who were pedaling. To say my car was slow would only distract you from the fact it was also noisy due to the clattering diesel engine.

The best way to describe my relationship with the only diesel car I have ever owned would be "bittersweet".

It consistently delivered less than 7 litres/100 km in fuel consumption. With diesel at the time amounting to around 47 cents a litre, my costs per kilometre were pretty "sweet".

The "bitter" part? Ah, let me count the ways...

First, like most diesels of the time, I had to wait for the glow plugs to warm up before ignition. Second, explaining to my girlfriend about my smelly hands from pumping diesel fuel at hard-to-find stations that were mostly dedicated to professional truckers was always tenuous.

Did I mention the car was slow and noisy?

Needless to say, I had sworn off diesels - period - never to be known again as "The Man with the Smelly Hands Who Drives a Slow and Noisy Car."

When I picked up the new-for-2005 Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI test car, all I could do was wistfully gaze at the E55 AMG super-sedan parked next to it in the press fleet lot. I had to suppress my diesel flashbacks, and ask myself: just who did I offend in the Mercedes-Benz Canada press office to get stuck with this? ... this? ... diesel?

It's not like the E320 CDI (Common rail Direct Injection, by the way, which I'll get to in a moment) had vertical exhaust stacks, airhorns, or How do you like my driving stickers to confess its diesel identity. Except for the CDI badge on the trunk lid, the diesel's external appearance is the same as its gas-sipping E Class sibling.

Apart from a wiggly-worm shaped glow plug status indicator, and a tachometer with a markedly lower redline, the interior fitments were also identical to the high level of luxury found in any current E Class. That meant power everything, soft leather fittings, and polished wood and chrome pieces all meticulously assembled.

Trying to pacify my initial reactions to the E320 CDI, the Mercedes press folks were encouraging about the E320 CDI's new turbo-charged 6-cylinder engine's surprising performance. Try it Mikey, you'll like it!, was their mantra. So I tried it.

I came to a stop at my first traffic light and the usual diesel engine clatter was not aurally apparent. Mercedes claims the extra sound deadening materials that went into the E320 CDI are to be credited for that. I nailed the throttle, then whoosh; there was a momentary lag until the turbo started coming on. Then chirp, as the rear tires and traction control system reigned in all that low-end torque. Then I hung on, as the car really started to freight train. Whoosh again, chirp again, another velvety upshift from the five-speed automatic transmission, and finally my rearview mirror was filled with the grille of the shocked Z28 driver that was (was!) beside me.

This? ... This? ... This was a diesel?