Mercedes Scraps Plans for a Diesel-Fueled C-Class in the U.S.

2015 Mercedes Benz C-Class (Credit: © Mercedes Benz)

The ripples from Volkswagen’s dieselgate splash continue to push other automakers further away from having diesel offerings in the U.S. in 2017. One of the brands feeling the heat is fellow German automaker Mercedes-Benz. Now, a new report says that Mercedes has outright canceled one of its hotly anticipated diesel models due to delays in approval.

According to Automotive News, Mercedes-Benz planned to roll out four new diesel-fueled models in 2017, including the C-Class, GLC-Class, GLE-Class, and the GLS-Class. Sadly, only two automakers, BMW and Jaguar, have gotten the green light to sell diesel vehicles in the U.S. next year. This leaves Mercedes questioning its entire diesel lineup.

In fact, the wait has drawn on so long that Mercedes has officially canceled the diesel version of C-Class for 2017. According to Mercedes spokesman Robert Moran, the cancellation of the C300d is due to “product strategy reasons.” Sure, he didn’t outright blame the EPA, but the writing is certainly on the wall. There was no mention of this being an absolute elimination of the C300d or just a temporary setback.

Prior to its cancellation, the C300d was slated to use a 2.1-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that produces 201 horsepower and a stout 369 pound-feet of torque.

At this time, it appears as if the GLC, GLE, and GLS diesels appear to still be on the docket for 2017.

We’ll continue monitoring this situation and bring you updates as they become available.