Mercedes Targeting 0.20 Drag Coefficient Cars By 2014

A Mercedes-Benz project manager has forecast that the upmarket German carmaker will release 0.20 drag coefficient cars within the next five years.

Speaking with Autocar, E-Class Coupe project manager Rainer Tiefenbacher revealed, “Designers are still learning about what works aerodynamically and are having to consider it more and more when they think about how a car will look.

“There are big steps to be made, especially around and under the engine hood. Twenty years ago we celebrated a 0.30 Cd, in five years we will reach the next big step.”

Mercedes has just launched the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe, the world’s most aerodynamic car, which has an impressive Cd figure of 0.24.

The new coupe even out-slips the new 2010 Toyota Prius, which in January will be the world's most aerodynamic production car along with the Honda Insight at 0.25Cd.

There is world-wide pressure to build more fuel-efficient cars and Mercedes-Benz is focusing on aerodynamics to achieve this.

Additionally, the German giant is also developing a stop-start four–cylinder petrol engine for the 133KW turbocharged E200 CGI, aiming for a European sale date in the middle 2010.

Mercedes hope to release the slippery E-Class Coupe in Australia in July 2009.

[via Autocar]