Consumers Name Mercedes-Benz 'Best Overall Prestige Brand' in Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch Study

Luxury Car Maker Also Earns 'Best Exterior Styling in the Luxury SUV Segment'

MONTVALE, N.J., Sept. 7 -- Mercedes-Benz took two of the top rankings in Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research's second quarter consumer automotive perceptions research study, Brand Watch. The report, which surveys thousands of new car shoppers, ranked Mercedes-Benz as "Best Overall Prestige Brand/Luxury/Sophistication." The study also gave Mercedes-Benz the top ranking for "Best Exterior Styling in the Luxury SUV Segment."

"With a motorcar heritage dating back more than a century and technology that is as new as tomorrow, Mercedes-Benz has cemented its image as the foremost luxury brand among U.S. consumers," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst, Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. "Mercedes-Benz' record of ongoing innovation in vital areas like design, safety and creature-comforts continues to reinforce its elite standing with the buying public, as our research attests."

Ernst Lieb, president & CEO, Mercedes-Benz USA said: "This really underscores the momentum that the Mercedes-Benz brand has in the U.S. market. We've had year-over-year record-breaking sales and are looking forward to our 14th year of sales increases in this crucial market. Aspiration to - and perception of -- the Mercedes-Benz brand are at an all-time high. What's important about a study that's as comprehensive as this one is that it shows we're delivering on a broad set of customers' expectations both with respect to the product and the experiential aspect of owning a Mercedes-Benz."

The trusted resource for new and used car information, Kelley Blue Book issues this highly comprehensive consumer study on a quarterly basis and takes a detailed look at new vehicle shoppers' perceptions of brands and important factors driving their purchase decisions while in the midst of the research and shopping process.

The study delves into how each manufacturer's brand equity differs across vehicle segments, compares the relative standing of each make versus competitive makes, and reveals the decision factors of car-buyers within each make and segment. Across some 17 measurement categories, three overall category winners are designated for best exterior styling, best interior layout and comfort, and best prestige/luxury brand.

About Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz USA (www.mbusa.com), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz products in the United States. In 2006, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 248,080 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving 13 consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at www.mbusa.com and www.maybachusa.com.

About Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com)

Since 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource(R), has provided vehicle buyers and sellers with the new and used vehicle information they need to accomplish their goals with confidence. The company's top-rated Web site, kbb.com, provides the most up-to-date pricing and values, including the New Car Blue Book(R) Value, which reveals what people actually are paying for new cars. The company also reports vehicle pricing and values via products and services, including software products and the famous Blue Book(R) Official Guide. Kbb.com is rated the No. 1 automotive information site by Nielsen//NetRatings and the most visited auto site by J.D. Power and Associates eight years in a row. No other medium reaches more in-market vehicle shoppers than kbb.com; nearly one in every three American car buyers performs their research on kbb.com.