Mercedes E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID – Africa to Goodwood on a single tank of fuel

Journalist Andrew Frankel has driven a Mercedes E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID from Tangier to Goodwood on a single 80 litre tank of fuel.

It might cost more to buy a hybrid car than a regular ICE car, but if you do a lot of miles the fuel savings can be impressive and, with many modern cars, you can choose to use the extra electric motor for more performance when parsimony isn’t at the top of your agenda.

A good example of a car that offers plenty of luxuries, decent performance and the ability to eke out a gallon of fuel further than you’d ever have thought possible is the latest Mercedes E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID.

With a 201 bhp diesel engine and a 27 bhp electric motor, the Mercedes hybrid can get to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds, reach 155 mph and offers leather trim, COMAND, Climate and all the little luxuries that make time behind the wheel more bearable.

But if you’re gentle with the loud pedal, the E300 Hybrid can make the most of every gallon you feed it, something journalist An drew Frankel has just illustrated by driving from Tangier in North Africa to the Goodwood Festival of SPeed on a single tank of fuel.

The car was completely standard (although it was fitted with the £100 optional 80 litre fuel tank) and averaged 76.3mpg over the 27 hour, 1,223 mile trip, arriving at Goodwood with the car still saying it had 100 miles left in t he tank.

The Mercedes E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID is now in action at Goodwood, tempting those who need a bit of luxury and continent-spanning ability on a single tank to stump up £40,000.

And if you do need that sort of ability, the hybrid E-Class is a very good choice.

Related Photos: Mercedes E-Class

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