um, I understand you love MB which is why you go around telling people how great it is, but you clearly do not know everything that you like to talk about.
1. Toyota currently has the cleanest diesel in the world - it is also the most powerful 4cly diesel - Clean Power 180.
2. MB has no hybrids on sale. Their knowledge of hybrid technology is very limited. Every few years they make press releases about how they have these "hybrids" planned only few years ahead. They certainly dont sell one and their system is certainly not "best", since it does not exist in production enviroment.
3. Toyota already sells Hybrid diesels around the world in Trucks and Vans. It has been selling them for more than a year now. Technology is already here.
-------
I think Clarkson's review is VERY positive for RX400h. Why? Because when you take out his uninformed points, we get one very positive review.
For example:
- maintenance on 3 engines... well, there is 0 maintainance on hybrid components. In fact, petrol engine lasts longer, has some 4 belts less to replace and brakes might get spent up to 80% less in hybrid.
- consumption - 29mpg is bad when X5 V8 gets what? 18? Then he compares it to 170hp diesel from XC90....eh? Comparing Ferrari to GTI?
Dont get me wrong, I like diesels as well, but for European, hybrid makes gazillion times more sense than diesels because most people live in cities. It doesnt have to be an big city either. I was very suprised to find my prius gets only 4.5-5.0l on average when comparable Avensis 116hp diesel got 7.2l-7.4l over the same routes.
Once MB gets hybrid ML out, I am sure Dieter will change his mind about that ML320CDI :-).
←
Mb do have them on sale. fact is they not gonna hit the market till they perfect their hydrogen car. Of which they are the best R and D so far.