Almaty, Kazakhstan -- In what may be the most ambitious promotion of diesel engines ever, a ragged caravan of Mercedes-Benz E-Class diesel cars arrived in this Central Asian metropolis this week.

Among more than 60 diesels, including support trucks and other vehicles, were two 2007 Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec diesels driven by two teams of American reporters... more

Bluetec magic makes diesels attractive

Mercedes-Benz has seen the future, and it is diesel. The German manufacturer, a division of DaimlerChrysler, says it is working on a range of substitutes for gasoline-fueled vehicles, including hydrogen power and hybrids. But it considers diesel to be the most promising, at least in the near term. The reason: diesel-fueled vehicles, on average, provide about 30 percent better miles per gallon than those that run on gasoline.

In Europe, where gasoline prices approach $7 a gallon in some places, people understand. Diesel light vehicles there now total more than half of new car sales... more