Mercedes will launch the C250 CGI in January 2010, powered by a new- generation petrol motor. This turbocharged direct injection petrol motor displaces 1796cc and will be the first of Mercedes’ CGI motors to be sold in India.

Mercedes engineers had earlier been skeptical about fuel quality in India and had held back the technology for our market. But this introduction will now mean an increase in power to 200bhp plus, as well as greater efficiency.

The C250 CGI's motor produces a max of 204bhp and develops an impressive 31.6kgm of torque. The figures transform the petrol C-class into a powerhouse and the merc touches a top whack of 240kph and will hit 100kph in 7.4 seconds.

Like other direct injection motors from Audi and Skoda, low engine speed torque is significantly improved on this motor, delivering both greater efficiency as well as acceleration. But Merc’s system has one massive advantage. Its Piezo injectors can manage multiple injections, just like a diesel. So when the motor is not under load, it burns very little fuel in a massive amount of air as part of a non-homogeneous mixture. This is sometimes called ‘Lean Burn’, and the C-class can do this running at even 120kph! The result: upto 10 percent lower petrol consumption.