A Third Mercedes Will Call Alabama Home; Mitsubishi Raider Goes Into Production in Michigan

Washington DC July 18, 2005; The AIADA newsletter reported that Mercedes-Benz announced plans to build a full-size luxury G-Class SUV at its plant in Vance, Alabama -- the SUV would be the third automobile produced at the plant and the largest in a family of luxury SUVs, reports The Associated Press. "It’s a completely different vehicle," said Paul Halata, a top U.S. executive for the automaker. "I really don’t want to go any further than that in regard to the dimensions of this vehicle, but it is a vehicle we have been talking about for some time." The G-Class name is expected to be transferred to the new SUV from the boxy Gelaendewagen military-like SUV. Mercedes’ Tuscaloosa County plant just recently began production of the R-Class, which will be available to consumers in October. In another note, Mitsubishi’s highly anticipated Raider pickup went into production last week at a DaimlerChrysler facility in Warren, Michigan