In Woody Allen鈥檚 1973 sci-fi send-up Sleeper, his character finds a 200-year-old Volkswagen Beetle in a cave and starts the engine, which turns over without the slightest hesitation. Allen could have substituted a W115 Mercedes 200D in the same ridiculous but truth-based scene. Mercedes-Benz diesels, like air-cooled VW flat-fours, are pretty much indestructible. Now, Mercedes has released a new generation of its venerable four-cylinder diesel. The latest OM 654 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder debuts in the Euro-spec 2017 E220d this spring, and sometime later in the U.S. It replaces the OM 651 2.1-liter diesel in service worldwide since 2008, although our time with it was considerably shorter; it arrived here in 2013, first in the GLK250, and then in the E250 and ML250 BlueTec models. Of that engine鈥檚 three strengths offered in Europe (250, 220, and 200), we received only the most powerful. The new engine鈥攊n 220 strength at least鈥攎akes 195 horsepower at 3800 rpm (up 25 hp) and 295 lb-ft of torque between 1600 and 2400 rpm. Compared to our current 2.1-liter engine, it achieves the same horsepower but nowhere near the 369 lb-ft that made our 2014 E250 sedan sneaky fast. Mercedes hasn鈥檛 confirmed U.S.

鈥檒l bet our version will produce more torque. More so than output, the big news is the OM 654鈥檚 cast aluminum block, as Mercedes is waving goodbye to the trusty cast iron block for four-cylinder diesels. This helps the new engine save a claimed 101 pounds (with all mounted accessories) versus the OM 651 220-spec diesel. Mercedes also used aluminum for the oil pan, reduced cylinder spacing by 0.16 inch, removed the second series turbocharger in favor of a single setup, and switched to plastic engine mounts, which reduce both weight and vibration. Each of the cylinders displaces 0.5 liters鈥攎any manufacturers believe this volume provides max power and efficiency鈥攁nd is lined with slippery Nanoslide, an iron-carbon coating on the cylinder walls that cuts friction. For the pistons, Mercedes engineers chose steel instead of aluminum, leveraging the metal鈥檚 lower conductivity to improve combustion at higher temperatures and reduce friction between 40 and 50 percent. This is possible since aluminum, when hot, expands at a higher rate than steel, so the more tightly controlled clearance between the steel piston and the aluminum cylinder wall becomes especially advantageous, according to Mercedes. In the wake of the VW TDI scandal, we can鈥檛 talk about a diesel engine without bringing up exhaust emissions. Here, Mercedes installed all of the after-treatment components within the engine compartment. Instead of particulate filters and a trunk-mounted urea tank located downstream, these parts are installed on the engine itself. We don鈥檛 yet know how efficient the new engine is, or when it鈥檒l appear in the new E-, GLC-, and GLE-class models. The brawnier 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 currently in the full-size GLS350d isn鈥檛 going away. And thankfully, neither is Benz鈥檚 commitment to any of these hardy, longlasting oil-burning engines.

Mercedes-Benz is recalling four high-tech diesel models from the company's 2014 and 2015 lineups. The recall is meant to repair a potential oil leak that could start a fire in the vehicles' engine compartment and make roads hazardous for other drivers. The problem with these vehicles -- all of which belong to Mercedes-Benz's reduced-emissions BlueTec diesel family -- stems from a loose chain tensioner gasket. According to a letter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (PDF), the seal on the gasket may permit oil to leak onto a vehicle's engine. Not only does that increase the risk of a fire, but if the oil drips onto the road, it can also make driving conditions hazardous for other vehicles. The fix involves a replacement of the gasket, which will be carried out free of charge. The recall is limited to vehicles manufactured between February 28, 2014 and November 10, 2014. Mercedes estimates that 4,871 vehicles registered in the U.S. Mercedes-Benz says that it began mailing notifications to owners last week, so if your vehicle is included in the recall, you should've received something by now.

Can you compare the 2014 Mercedes GLK, Infiniti QX50 and Hyundai Santa Fe? Which is of the best value for the money? I'm not particularly interested in the BMW X3. And on a different topic, what do you think about the Hyundai Genesis four-wheel drive? Vaughan: Well, that's brief and to the point. Cato, let's hit the Genesis question first. We saw it at the Detroit auto show and it's going to give the established premium brands fits. It's far better looking than the old Genesis and we know the engineering will be excellent. Cato: We all know Hyundai's brand is not yet a mainstream powerhouse and it's even less so compared with the German premium brands. But strip off the badges and this new 2015 Hyundai looks the part of a Mercedes E-Class or Audi A6 rival. Hyundai is launching a new all-wheel-drive system with this Genesis called HTRAC.

It's tuned to put an emphasis on rear-drive dynamics, though up to 90 per cent of the torque can go to the front wheels, if needed. Hyundai's V-6 and V-8 engines here are strong, too. Cary, on paper, the new Genesis is competitive. You cannot change the badge, however, and that's a problem. Vaughan: Now back to the main question, Cato. 43,500) is the only diesel-powered compact crossover. More are coming, Cary, but if you wish to go diesel right now, then stop here. Cato: Except there's bad news at the pump for diesel drivers. Pump prices are way up and for no apparent reason. But that's the oil business. More than a few oddball things happen where oil companies are involved. Let me say this: The world's biggest oil companies are, for the most part, a troubling lot - Saudi Aramco, Gazprom, National Iranian Oil Co., ExxonMobil, Rosneft. That list alone is enough to make me a cheerleader for electric vehicles.