GREEN MACHINES

Where eco meets mountain performance

Suv's get a nasty rap as road-stomping, gas-guzzling ecosystem destroyers, but the industry’s top luxury brands are gunning to change that this winter.
Mercedes-Benz has revamped its GL350 BlueTEC SUV for the 2010 model year. It’s more svelte and adds LED fog lights, but runs on the same turbodiesel technology Mercedes-Benz introduced in 2008. It’s that clean-burning diesel that allows the vehicle’s V6 engine to perform like a bigger one (it has the torque of a V8) and run like a smaller one (at 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway, its fuel economy is comparable to a four-cylinder).
Audi’s diesel-powered, 225-horsepower Q7 TDI takes the one-with-nature theme a step further with a choice of burr walnut, ash olive, or Japanese tamo-wood interiors. The cockpit echoes the architecture of the A6 sedan, so the crossover is an ideal pick for drivers who prefer the feel of a car but need an SUV’s rugged handling to get out to Ashcroft. “With the turbo engine, you lose zero power [as you climb]. I went through the Eisenhower Tunnel in it and the car never shifted out of sixth gear,” says Monty Nostrom, Audi sales manager at Elk Mountain Motors in Glenwood Springs. The TDI has a combined fuel economy of 20 mpg and reduces nitrogen oxide exhaust emissions by up to 90 percent.
The year 2010 brings the much-buzzed-about release of the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid. The SUV’s system is a techie’s delight; a central data system coordinates the car’s combustion engine, electric motor, and battery for optimal fuel conservation. The system, projected to give the vehicle a 24 mpg combined fuel economy, directs the gas-powered engine to shut off when the Cayenne is sailing along at a high speed, coasting downhill, or otherwise enjoying natural forward momentum. The vehicle’s exterior is the subject of the most speculation: Rumor is that Porsche will use its launch to debut a total Cayenne redesign.
Thankfully, all three vehicles prove that you can heed your green-leaning conscience and still deftly navigate on a powder day. The Audi’s engine comes equipped with heater plugs designed to combat frigid temperatures, heating to more than 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit in two seconds. The Mercedes has automatic downhill speed regulation for sure control on slick roads, and a push-button off-road driving program. And the Porsche is built to help you slog safely through winter conditions, with the on/off engine providing the bonus of some peace and quiet.