Europe is on a rampage to lower CO2 emissions due to the fear of global warming, and the world of automobiles is an easy place to start. To help lower automotive CO2 emissions, an extremely strict standard called EURO 6 is set to go in effect in Europe in 2015.

The Vision C220 Bluetec is Mercedes' way to demonstrate they are on track to meet the forthcoming standards. But this show car is not just about keeping Europe happy. U.S. emissions standards are very strict when it comes to NOx and the powerplant in the Vision C220 Bluetec should meet the standards in the States without the need for urea injection.

Enthusiasts shouldn't think all this talk about cleaning up tailpipes is all doom and gloom as this turbo-diesel Mercedes has 170 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque running through a 6-speed manual gearbox. Plus, everyone can smile at the idea of a small luxury car that can average over 40 mpg.