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Mercedes-Benz to build new ML coupe-crossover in Alabama in 2015

Mercedes-Benz will expand its factory in Tuscaloosa, AL, to build the ML Coupe, a new crossover that will join its lineup in 2015. Mercedes will also ramp up production to build facelifted versions of the M-Class and GL-Class SUVs, lifting the factory's total production capacity to about 300,000 units annually in 2015. It made 185,000 vehicles in 2013. In addition to SUVs, the Tuscaloosa site also makes the C-Class sedan.
The plans come as part of Mercedes' strategy to capitalize on Americans' increasing demands for SUVs. The company said the SUV market was up 12 percent in first half of 2014, and expects it to grow at twice the rate of the regular market in 2015 and 2016.
"We are seeing climbing demand for SUVs." - Dieter Zetsche

Zetsche's CEO tenure extended through 2016 at Daimler

There appear to be two takes on Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche having his contract extended for three more years, to 2016. A report in The Detroit News quotes the chairman of Daimler's supervisory board, Manfred Bischoff, talking up the stability at the top, "With today's extensions of the contracts of Dieter Zetsche and Thomas Weber, we are maintaining the important continuity at the top executive level." Bischoff also stated that that Zetsche has a plan to "further enhance Daimler's overall performance."
Over at Reuters, though, the three-year extension was seen as a lack of complete confidence in Zetsche's plans, since his contract was supposedly meant to be extended by five years. A spokesman said the board decided to extend executive contracts by only three years if the person was 60 or would turn 60 during the contract, but that was news to observers. Zetsche wants to make Mercedes-Benz the top selling luxury manufacturer globally by 2020, but has fallen to third place behind Audi and BMW. It hasn't held the top spot 2005, and investors judged it valued at half that of BMW at the end of 2012 once Daimler's truck business was subtracted.
Analysts cites the fact that Daimler stock hasn't bested its rivals but twice in twelve years, and that the company revised its profit target downward last year by nearly one billion euros, warning of stagnant earnings this year and will miss its original margin target for 2013.

Mercedes-AMG teases C63 Coupe again, this time on video

The present Mercedes-Benz C-Class has gone mature in the best way. The C63 AMG, however, is a gentleman villain, and it appears that the C63 AMG Coupe could go full rogue. Earlier this month Mercedes teased the two-door and a dash of its aural violence, but only gave us pictures to look at. The second teaser puts bits of the car on camera, accompanied by more of its tamer sound effects. The C63 AMG Coupe will almost certainly be seen in glossy photos beforehand, but we expect to meet the noble barbarian at the Frankfurt Motor Show with a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 underhood. In the C63 S sedan that engine works up 503 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, numbers that should be the same here. It will be joined by its other, less fire-breathing coupe siblings on the show stand. And since this second teaser is so brief, we've included a longer vid captured at the 'Ring in which the coming AMG tries to keep its tail under control. You'll find that below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.