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Two new coupes, one of them powered by the highly regarded fiveâ€"cylinder diesel engine, have joined the Mercedesâ€"Benz passenger car line for 1978. The two. coupes, along with nine other models, go on sale throughout Canada next Tuesday (Nov. 1), as the newâ€"model "year‘‘ gets its official start and the 1977 calendar year continues to be a record one for the world‘s oldest auto manufacturer. "‘Thanks in large part to the great demand for our diesels," said Mercedesâ€"Benz of Canada Executive Viveâ€"President Rainer Langeâ€"Mechlen, ""we believe our passenger car sales in Canada will exceed 2,400 units in 1977, and this is despite the fact that our cars have been in short supply for the past several months."‘ "Almost half of our sales in 1977 have been dieselâ€"powered models,"‘ Langeâ€"Mechâ€" len continued, "and we expect our new 300 CD coupe will make this percentage even higher in 1978." The two new coupes are the 300CD with the diesel engine, and the 280CE, which is equipped with a fuelâ€"injected, sixâ€"cylinder gasoline engine. if Eul 1 omm n oc 4t .n3 é;)th'c;r‘s’ which are outwardly identical Mercedesâ€"Benz introduces two new coupes _ MERCEDES â€" BENZ COMPTON MOTORS NEW COUPES â€" After a year without an intermediate coupe, Mercedesâ€"Benz has introduced a new fiveâ€"passenger model in two distinct versions. The 280CE is powered by a fuelâ€"injected sixâ€"cylinder gasoline engine and the 300CD carries a fiveâ€"cylinder diesel engine, identical to the powerplant in the highly successful 300D sedan. VICTORIA ST. KITCHENER except for the model designation plates on their trunk lids, are based on the new Merâ€" cedesâ€"Benz intermediate sedan series that was introduced last year and which includes four models for the North American marâ€" ket. They come with fourâ€"wheel power disc brakes, automatic transmission, power steering, automatic climate control, cenâ€" tral locking system, cruise control, AM/FM stereo radio, quartzâ€"crystal clock, tinted glass, fog lights, power windows, sixâ€"way adjustable front bucket seats and radial tires as standard. In addition to the two coupes and the four intermediate sedans, Mercedesâ€"Benz of Canada will offer three large sedan models, plus a larger coupe and a coupe/roadster, The intermediate sedans are led by the two diesels, the fourâ€"cylinder 240D and the fiveâ€"cylinder 230 and the fuelâ€"injected sixâ€" cylinder 280€E. The two other sports models are the limitâ€" edâ€"edition 450SLC, which is a V8â€"powered fourâ€"seater coupe, and the 4508, coupe/roadâ€" ster, also with V8 engine and with both hard and soft tops as standard equipment. 3 The largér sedans include the sixâ€"cylinder Waterloo Chronicie, Wednssday , November 2, 1977 â€" Page 37 280SE, plus the V8â€"powered longâ€"wheelbase 450SEL, and the 6.9, considered by most authoritative sources to be the world‘s finest fourâ€"door passenger car. Only 35 copies of the 6.9 will be available for Canada. . For 1978, Langeâ€"Mechlen said, ""we expect another successful year, as Daimlerâ€"Benz has been able to increase production slightâ€" ly, and we will be getting a few more cars in our allotment." The MBC chief said he expected sales growth to be on the order of four per cent, or approximately 2,500 units. . "*We are most confident,‘‘ Langeâ€"Mechien added, "because of our strong commitment to the diesel engine. This year, our diesel sales will be 57 per cent of the total, and next year we are counting on this going up to 64 percent,"" he explained. While others are making their cars smallâ€" er,‘‘ Langeâ€"Mechlen said, "we are able to continue with reasonablyâ€"sized vehicles because of our choice of powerplants. In the diesel, we have an engine that not only proâ€" vides good emission characteristics, but also excellent fuel consumption and perforâ€" mance."‘ ~