Mercedes S400 Hybrid Launched in Japan

The Japanese hybrid market is about to heat up....For the first time in history, the Japanese will no longer have to be confined to local brands when purchasing a hybrid, but can also opt for a foreign one. The hybrid which has now entered the race is Mercedes Benz's S400 hybrid, priced locally at 14.05 million yen ($151,000).

Of course, there is no competition per se between the S400 and the Prius or the Lexus HS 250h, for instance. The difference in price and not only between the two hybrids is huge. The question is now whether the consumer interest in a high-end hybrid will be as elevated as with the regular hybrids.

''From the marketing point of view, it seems to be easier to sell something which can refer to itself as hybrid,'' Hans Tempel, Mercedes-Benz Japan president was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "If the environmentally friendly technology succeeds in creating a new fascination about cars, that would definitely see a push for car sales. That's what we desperately need in Japan," he added.

The S400, a car deemed by Mercedes as being "the world's most economical petrol-engined luxury saloon," is powered by a modified 3.5l petrol engine, paired with a 20 horsepower electric motor and a 7G-Tronic automatic transmission.

"Our first series production hybrid car exemplifies Mercedes-Benz's long-standing development strategy geared towards sustainability, with its clearly defined aim of producing economical and environment-friendly premium cars without compromising on safety, comfort and superior performance," Dieter Zetsche, Daimler CEO says about the S400.