...da ba die... was the chorus to a catchy/crappy song by an obscure European band called Eiffel 65. The “blue” part in it also echoes part of the name given by Volkswagen to its current TDI models equipped with special fuel-saving technologies.
The boys in Wolfsburg were the first of the “Big Three”, “Three Musketeers”, “Three Stooges”, “Three Little Pigs”... or whatever you want to call them (read BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen) to implement distinct fuel-saving measures using available technologies on some of their cars.
Volkswagen's marketing department first started putting a “BlueMOTION” badge on every fuel-sipping TDI model that was specifically designed to... sip fuel, in 2006. Without exactly being a “pie in the sky” sort of thing, the BlueMOTION emblem does guarantee some pretty good mileage compared to the regular models.
The way VW engineers managed to improve the fuel consumption using technology that already exists was by focusing on three main areas: aerodynamics, transmission ratios and engine ECU remapping.
I'm not talking anything spectacular here, just minor spoiler redesigns, lower ground clearance, aero-enhancements underneath the car, special low-rolling resistance tires, longer transmission ratios and different ECU mapping for the engine. Although completely killing the petite driving pleasure left in a modern family car, the 10 to 15% reduction in fuel consumption seems to be worth the price.
Just a year after Volkwagen's BlueMOTION, BMW introduced a new generation of small capacity engines which also feature fuel-saving technologies, but with a slightly more geeky approach. The Bavarian engineers' work consisted of a range of minor improvements that mostly targeted the engine and its efficiency.
Called “EfficientDynamics”, the BMW program isn't constrained to more than just a few selected models and comprise a whole range of cars. Since the twin-kidney brand is highly renowned for the their sporty character (which doesn't exactly scream fuel economy), they couldn't have made the “EfficientDynamics” cars TOO efficient.
Nevertheless, the new small BMWs aren't guzzling gas as they used to, especially taking into account that the power output levels are up across the model range. Using technologies like direct injection, start&stop systems, low-pressure turbocharging, lightweight engine materials, different gear ratios and gear change dash indicators, modern BMWs achieved impressive reductions in fuel consumption: from 10 to 24% higher milage, considering the power is up by 12 to 16%.
The third musketeer arrived kind of late at the gas-oholic anonymous meeting. Mercedes-Benz's first take at the “let's get efficient” game came almost a year after BMW's, not making it in a less impressive way though.
The “highly imaginative” minds at Benz's marketing also thought of the perfect name for the new fuel-saving models. So Volkswagen has BlueMOTION, BMW has EfficientDynamics, why shouldn't the late arrival let them learn from both predecessors?
Apart from combining Wolfsburg and Munchen ideas into one, the brains from Stuttgart also combined their arch-enemy names: “Blue” from VW and “Efficient” from BMW translates into “BlueEFFICIENCY” at Mercedes-Benz.
Hurrah for originality! Let's not get tangled in semantics here though. The BlueEFFICIENCY is equally as impressive as the aforementioned technological solutions. Not as widely spread (at least for now) across the model range as the BMW EfficientDynamics, Mercedes-Benz's answer to tree-huggers everywhere does have a few key points and interesting finishing touches.
First debuting on the latest C-Klasse, the technology benefits from engineering work on more than just a few aspects. For example, BlueEFFICIENCY badged versions have a smaller weight thanks to a special laminated windscreen using Maybach technology, varying material thickness on the firewall insulation, forged alloy wheels and special tires with a mesh of high-strength steel.
The already streamline C-Klasse achieves a record drag coefficient of just 0.25 (the tortoise-shaped Toyota Prius has 0.26) thanks to a full underbody panelling (like supercars have), partially shrouded radiator grille, sealed headlamp joints, lowered ground clearance, aerodynamic wheels and low rolling resistance tires and streamlined exterior mirror housings.
The smallest engine in the C-Klasse line-up becomes even smaller (from 1796 to 1597cc) but keeping the same power output, the manual transmission gets overdrive characteristics, the final drive now has low-friction bearings and differential gears plus a longer ratio, the power steering's servo pump becomes acquainted with an energy-saving mode while the dashboard gets the same “shift damn it!” gear shift display.
All these features, along with the stop&start technology, help reduce the fuel consumption by up to 20%, depending on the model they are implemented on. The most interesting bit isn't the technology itself though, but its future availability. Dr. Thomas Weber, head of the supervisory board at Daimler, said that "This package will be available for our customers in all model series of Mercedes-Benz."
Now, since we got rid of the “let's get informed” bit, let's also get rid of the wooden marketing language and start asking questions. Considering all the facts (already available technology, no batteries or electric engines involved, no urea tanks, no weird-looking aerodynamic improvements and no huge drops in performance), the first question that pops in my mind is: why so late?
The technology used in those cars existed for years. Each year at motor shows different manufacturers try to poke our eyes out with flamboyant concepts that MIGHT reach production in 2015-2020 and that can run on water, electricity or even a pressurized can filled with cow-flatulence (just kidding, there's no such thing... yet).
With all the brainstorming required just to think of all these fuel-saving techniques and pollution-free thinking, why did it take so long for the German trio to come up with these – let's call them sufficient – improvements?
Since an official answer might not ever come, I'll just end this rant with more (related to the subject or not, your choice) Eiffel 65 lyrics for the lousy “Blue” pop-single:
“I'm blue da ba dee da ba die
I'm blue (if I was green I would die)...” .
The boys in Wolfsburg were the first of the “Big Three”, “Three Musketeers”, “Three Stooges”, “Three Little Pigs”... or whatever you want to call them (read BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen) to implement distinct fuel-saving measures using available technologies on some of their cars.
Volkswagen's marketing department first started putting a “BlueMOTION” badge on every fuel-sipping TDI model that was specifically designed to... sip fuel, in 2006. Without exactly being a “pie in the sky” sort of thing, the BlueMOTION emblem does guarantee some pretty good mileage compared to the regular models.
The way VW engineers managed to improve the fuel consumption using technology that already exists was by focusing on three main areas: aerodynamics, transmission ratios and engine ECU remapping.
I'm not talking anything spectacular here, just minor spoiler redesigns, lower ground clearance, aero-enhancements underneath the car, special low-rolling resistance tires, longer transmission ratios and different ECU mapping for the engine. Although completely killing the petite driving pleasure left in a modern family car, the 10 to 15% reduction in fuel consumption seems to be worth the price.
Just a year after Volkwagen's BlueMOTION, BMW introduced a new generation of small capacity engines which also feature fuel-saving technologies, but with a slightly more geeky approach. The Bavarian engineers' work consisted of a range of minor improvements that mostly targeted the engine and its efficiency.
Called “EfficientDynamics”, the BMW program isn't constrained to more than just a few selected models and comprise a whole range of cars. Since the twin-kidney brand is highly renowned for the their sporty character (which doesn't exactly scream fuel economy), they couldn't have made the “EfficientDynamics” cars TOO efficient.
Nevertheless, the new small BMWs aren't guzzling gas as they used to, especially taking into account that the power output levels are up across the model range. Using technologies like direct injection, start&stop systems, low-pressure turbocharging, lightweight engine materials, different gear ratios and gear change dash indicators, modern BMWs achieved impressive reductions in fuel consumption: from 10 to 24% higher milage, considering the power is up by 12 to 16%.
The third musketeer arrived kind of late at the gas-oholic anonymous meeting. Mercedes-Benz's first take at the “let's get efficient” game came almost a year after BMW's, not making it in a less impressive way though.
The “highly imaginative” minds at Benz's marketing also thought of the perfect name for the new fuel-saving models. So Volkswagen has BlueMOTION, BMW has EfficientDynamics, why shouldn't the late arrival let them learn from both predecessors?
Apart from combining Wolfsburg and Munchen ideas into one, the brains from Stuttgart also combined their arch-enemy names: “Blue” from VW and “Efficient” from BMW translates into “BlueEFFICIENCY” at Mercedes-Benz.
Hurrah for originality! Let's not get tangled in semantics here though. The BlueEFFICIENCY is equally as impressive as the aforementioned technological solutions. Not as widely spread (at least for now) across the model range as the BMW EfficientDynamics, Mercedes-Benz's answer to tree-huggers everywhere does have a few key points and interesting finishing touches.
First debuting on the latest C-Klasse, the technology benefits from engineering work on more than just a few aspects. For example, BlueEFFICIENCY badged versions have a smaller weight thanks to a special laminated windscreen using Maybach technology, varying material thickness on the firewall insulation, forged alloy wheels and special tires with a mesh of high-strength steel.
The already streamline C-Klasse achieves a record drag coefficient of just 0.25 (the tortoise-shaped Toyota Prius has 0.26) thanks to a full underbody panelling (like supercars have), partially shrouded radiator grille, sealed headlamp joints, lowered ground clearance, aerodynamic wheels and low rolling resistance tires and streamlined exterior mirror housings.
The smallest engine in the C-Klasse line-up becomes even smaller (from 1796 to 1597cc) but keeping the same power output, the manual transmission gets overdrive characteristics, the final drive now has low-friction bearings and differential gears plus a longer ratio, the power steering's servo pump becomes acquainted with an energy-saving mode while the dashboard gets the same “shift damn it!” gear shift display.
All these features, along with the stop&start technology, help reduce the fuel consumption by up to 20%, depending on the model they are implemented on. The most interesting bit isn't the technology itself though, but its future availability. Dr. Thomas Weber, head of the supervisory board at Daimler, said that "This package will be available for our customers in all model series of Mercedes-Benz."
Now, since we got rid of the “let's get informed” bit, let's also get rid of the wooden marketing language and start asking questions. Considering all the facts (already available technology, no batteries or electric engines involved, no urea tanks, no weird-looking aerodynamic improvements and no huge drops in performance), the first question that pops in my mind is: why so late?
The technology used in those cars existed for years. Each year at motor shows different manufacturers try to poke our eyes out with flamboyant concepts that MIGHT reach production in 2015-2020 and that can run on water, electricity or even a pressurized can filled with cow-flatulence (just kidding, there's no such thing... yet).
With all the brainstorming required just to think of all these fuel-saving techniques and pollution-free thinking, why did it take so long for the German trio to come up with these – let's call them sufficient – improvements?
Since an official answer might not ever come, I'll just end this rant with more (related to the subject or not, your choice) Eiffel 65 lyrics for the lousy “Blue” pop-single:
“I'm blue da ba dee da ba die
I'm blue (if I was green I would die)...” .
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