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Mercedes is to introduce three new SUVs with diesel engines into the US from autumn 2008. The new cars will be equipped with the AdBlue diesel injection technology, which Mercedes claims is a first.

The R320 BlueTec, ML320 BlueTec and GL320 BlueTec meet the American Bin 5 emissions regulations and also meet the proposed EU6 standard, whose introduction date has not yet been discussed.

The vehicles feature a V6 diesel engine that develops 155kW and torque of 540Nm. Fuel economy for the GL model is claimed at 9.5 litres of diesel per 100 km, which Mercedes says is 20 to 40 per cent better than the equivalent gasoline model.

The revised BlueTec package on these vehicles feature AdBlue injection, in which an aqueous urea solution is injected into the stream of exhaust gases. This releases ammonia which combines with the NOx in the exhaust gases and can then be converted in the selective catalytic converter to form harmless nitrogen and water.

Mercedes says that the combination of BlueTec and AdBlue reduces NOx emissions by up to 80 per cent.