Hoovey689

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2013 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic to get detuned 3.5L V6

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class range just received a substantial update for the 2012 model year, but some new changes are already in the works for 2013. The all-wheel-drive C300 4Matic is slated to get a new 3.5-liter direct-injected engine, according to Car and Driver.

Currently, the C300 4Matic is powered by a sluggish 3.0-liter V6, only putting out 228 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. That, combined with a 3,737-pound curb weight, is why the current model takes 7.1 seconds to get to 60 miles per hour and only returns fuel economy ratings of 18 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg highway. (For reference, a 2012 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro with Tiptronic returns 21/29 mpg.)

This new engine, a detuned version of the 3.5-liter V6 found in the C350 sedan, produces 248 hp and 251 lb-ft – gains of 20 and 30, respectively. The 2013 C300 4Matic comes equipped with fuel-saving features like an eco mode and automatic start/stop, and while official fuel economy numbers haven't been announced as of this writing, we can only assume that a modest improvement is in order.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/11/2...tuned-3-5l-v6/

peteharvey

That detuned 3.5 liter V6 is actually a 60 degree V6 engine developed with Chrysler for their new range of Pentastar engines; developed by Benz and Chrysler while Benz still owned Chysler a few years ago.
Now that Benz has sold Chrysler to Fiat, Fiat has legal rights to that range of V6's too, and Fiat do indeed intend to use that 60 degree direct injection V6 in its Alfa and Lancia range.

However, back to the 60 degree V6 used in the Benz.
The E300 and C300 won't really be 3.0 liter engines; they will actually be detuned 3.5 liter 60 degree V6's.
Its probably too expensive to develop this engine in 2 different capacities for a few years use only, only to be replaced in 2015 by a new range of Benz in-line sixes.
Anyway, power is up considerably in both the 3.5 and the detuned 3.5.
The 60 degree configuration should give the engine more bottom end punch than before, and should be smoother and quieter than the old Benz 90 degree V6's.

However, watch out, because in the long term, Benz don't want to share 60 degree V6's with Chrysler nor Fiat, so Benz has commissioned development of a new range of in-line sixes due for release in 2015...