Mercedes-Benz's parent company, Daimler AG, will not pursue regulatory approval for the company's diesel products here in the US as the Department of Justice, EPA, and California Air Resource Board investigates allegations fraud and misleading advertising, Motor Trend reports.
On a financial level, Mercedes' decision won't be a big hit to its bottom line. According to MT, the company's Bluetec diesels account for just one percent of its total sales, and the ultra-efficient engines are only available on four models. And it's entirely possible that Bluetec trims will return for 2018.
Motor Trend reports that as of October, Mercedes was planning on getting its diesel engines confirmed for US sales. Last month, though, Mercedes-Benz USA President and CEO Dietmar Exler said the company hadn't decided whether to get certification for its diesels, telling reporters Mercedes was “leaving the door open to offer diesels as a potential option in our passenger cars and SUVs.”
That makes it sound like the future for Mercedes' Bluetec engine range is far from fixed beyond 2017.
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