Stuttgart (dpa) – Mercedes is offering the E 300 as a hybrid in its core segment for the first time with a combustion engine coupled with an electric motor, bringing down consumption and boosting performance. The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID will be available both as a Saloon and Estate later next year. The four-cylinder diesel engine unit with an output of 150 kW/204 is supported by a 20 kW electric motor that is listed with a consumption of 4.2 liters per 100 kilometers. The V6-cylinder petrol engine in the E 400 HYBRID produces 225 kW/306 hp and is also supplemented by the 20 kW electric motor. The new hybrid models will be celebrating their world premiere at the Detroit Motor Show on January 14-22 and will appear on the market over the course of the year, according to Mercedes. The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID is initially planned to be launched on the European market, while the E 400 HYBRID will be made available on the American market first, followed by other countries such as Japan and China. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/T40EQ Tags: Car, Hybrid, Mercedes Section: Going Green, Tech