The
American South has become synonymous with foreign auto brand
manufacturing for the better part of two decades. Everything from humble
Toyota Corollas and Sentras all the way up to Mercedes-Benz and BMW
models are rolling out of Dixie, not only to North American markets, but
around the world.
Mercedes-Benz showed its commitment
to its U.S. manufacturing presence by announcing a fifth model to be
produced at Mercedes' plant in Vance, Alabama, outside Tuscaloosa. The
plant currently builds the ML and GL SUVs, the R-Class crossover, and
will begin production on the C-Class sedan in 2014. The fifth model is
scheduled to go online in 2015.
The future model was
revealed to Alabama governor Robert Bentley on a recent trip to
Stuttgart as part of an industrial recruiting trip. Bentley described
the vehicle as "sleek" and "eye-catching." Based on this description,
it's believed the new model will be an ML-based model with more
aggressive, carlike bodywork, along the lines of BMW's X6 crossover.
The
X6 has not been a large-volume seller for BMW. But the ML has been a
runaway hit for Mercedes-Benz, as one of the best-selling models in the
luxury SUV class in the U.S. and around the world. The majority of ML
production globally is sourced from the Vance factory.
Source: Tuscaloosa News
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