World’s First Lithium-Ion Hybrid: Mercedes intros SUVs DeLuxe Eco-Diesel

A new generation of alternative fuel vehicles are hitting Mercedes-Benz dealer showrooms this week.
Designed to provide 20-30 percent higher fuel economy than gasoline engines nd up to a 600-mile driving range, the new 50-state BlueTEC clean-diesel technology debuts on three of the company’s SUV models: the 2009 ML320, GL320 and R320.

The BlueTEC technology is so efficient that the Internal Revenue
Service has designated it “Advanced Lean Burn Technology” which allows it
to qualify for the same type of tax credit that hybrids receive. Depending
on the model purchased and an individual’s tax status, buyers of the new
BlueTEC clean diesel SUVs can apply for tax credits of up to $1,800.

Building on the company’s 50-year legacy of diesel technology, BlueTEC
represents the most sophisticated, cleanest and most performance
oriented-diesel SUVs ever produced by Mercedes-Benz. The next-generation
BlueTEC vehicles feature AdBlue injection, a process that reduces nitrogen
oxide, a main cause of smog, by nearly 80 percent. BlueTEC allows drivers
to enjoy the utility of large vehicles with reduced fuel consumption,
reduced carbon footprint, added torque, and extended fuel range.

Nation-Wide Roll Out Begins Today

When compared with ‘yesterday’s diesel,’ many consumers are not aware
of the phenomenal advances in diesel technology and its positive impact on
the environment. Very few are aware that hybrids achieve their fuel
efficiency enhancements only in stop-and-go driving as opposed to diesel
which yields a fuel efficiency advantage in any type of driving scenario.

As a result, as part of its launch initiative which is aimed at
increasing awareness of the benefits of clean diesel, MBUSA is putting a
fleet of 750 BlueTEC vehicles into dealer hands to facilitate getting
customers behind the wheel.

In addition, the company will begin integrated marketing initiatives
designed to introduce this revolutionary technology. This autumn,
Mercedes-Benz USA is running two wide-scale print executions - “Live Green
to Save Green” and “Check, Check, Check” - to raise awareness about the
fuel economy of the vehicles. The ads are running in a variety of
publications, including Architectural Digest, National Geographic, and
Vanity Fair, as well as daily papers in top markets. These advertisements
introduce the launch of the 50-State BlueTEC SUVs, highlighting how they
set the standard for superior performance, noteworthy fuel efficiency, and
environmentally-friendly technology.

The BlueTEC advertising campaign began in March 2008 in conjunction
with the New York International Auto Show’s world premiere of the first
vehicles to meet the stringent federal emissions requirements: the 2009
ML320 BlueTEC, GL320 BlueTEC, and R320 BlueTEC. During that time, a BlueTEC
print advertisement “Why you should go blue if you want to go green,” ran
in national newspapers, including USA Today and The New York Times.

Two national launch mailings tied to the BlueTEC SUV launch also raise
awareness of the significant value these vehicles offer while also
promoting The Nature Conservancy’s Adopt an Acre program. The mailing
includes an invitation for drivers to take a test drive of a BlueTEC
vehicle at their local dealerships. For each of the BlueTEC test drives
resulting from the mailing, Mercedes-Benz USA will make a $100 contribution
to The Nature Conservancy’s Adopt an Acre program in the driver’s name. The
mailings also help drive visitors to the BlueTEC microsite on
http://www.MBUSA.com/BlueTEC where they will be able to use a “Distance
Calculator” to see just how far they can go from home on a tank full of
fuel in the new BlueTEC models.

The First Diesels to Meet the BIN5 (50-State) Emissions Requirements

With characteristics such as low-end torque, improved fuel economy and
high performance, the diesel engine has proven itself as an attractive
alternative to gasoline engines even in the U.S. during times of increasing
fuel prices and growing sensitivity toward CO2 emissions. In the land of
minivans, pickups and SUVs - where driving habits generally feature
consistent highway speeds and long distances cross-country - the benefits
of diesel present an attractive solution. Mercedes-Benz developed BlueTEC
technology with AdBlue injection for its large, high-performance SUVs to
meet the limits set by the U.S. BIN5 standard, bringing the benefits of
this newest diesel technology to states such as California and New York
where diesels have not been sold for over a decade.

The World’s First Lithium-Ion Hybrid in 2009

In 2009, MBUSA will introduce the S400 BlueHYBRID, the world’s first
passenger hybrid vehicle to be powered by a lithium-ion battery. Specially
developed for automotive use, the BlueHYBRID engine will be the first
worldwide to be introduced in a series-production vehicle - once again
establishing Mercedes-Benz as a trailblazer in automotive technology. The
BlueTEC and BlueHYBRID vehicles represent the first steps in Mercedes-Benz
“Road to the Future” initiative, a full portfolio of alternative-fuel
vehicles set to roll out over the next few years. These new vehicles are
part of the more than 20 billion dollars Mercedes-Benz will have invested
in clean-technology research and zero-emission technology by 2010.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is
responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz
products in the United States. For over forty years, MBUSA has prided
itself on its commitment to the customer by providing superior quality
luxury vehicles coupled with outstanding customer support.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working
around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for
nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million
members have been responsible for the protection of more than 18 million
acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 117 million
acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The
Nature Conservancy on the Web at http://www.nature.org.

# http://www.mbusa.com
# http://www.MBUSA.com/BlueTEC
# http://www.nature.org/
CONTACT:
Donna Boland, +1-201-573-6893, or Tracy
Darchini, +1-201-573-4734, both for Mercedes-Benz USA, Toll-Free,
+1-888-MBNEWS-1