Mercedes cutting production in Alabama
As consumer demand for thirsty vehicles continues to wane, Mercedes-Benz is being forced to slow production at the Alabama plant which manufactures their GL- and ML-Class SUVs and the R-Class crossover. Sales of Mercedes domestic trucks fell to 5,090 vehicles in June, representing an 11.9 percent decline from the same period last year. The move marks the first time in more than a decade of U.S. production, that the German automaker has reduced output due to market and economic conditions. The cuts will affect more than 4,000 of the plant's employees, and unfortunately will trickle-down to hurt the countless other companies who provide just-in-time components to support Mercedes production.
[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
J M C 3 5:46PM (7/25/2008)
The SUV / crossover craze is dead.
Make way for the premium subcompacts.
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Joce03 8:21PM (7/25/2008)
AMEN!!!
jlamadeleine 4:53PM (7/30/2008)
yeah, maybe so, but it's not cool when your husbands hours get cut back and you're already on a budget. We're just hoping and praying he gets them back.
Farris 5:52PM (7/25/2008)
They still make the R-Class? I thought they admitted it was a failure and dumped it?
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LOs 7:35PM (7/25/2008)
Only half right,
They admitted it was a failure and kept selling it.
Purifoy 5:53PM (7/25/2008)
And this is comes as a surprise to who? Everyone else is having to scale back production in these trying times. So why would the "Mighty Mercedes" be any different?
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WTF? 9:29PM (7/25/2008)
Because people who can buy a Mercedes with our economy in this state aren't typically worried about thrift and fuel economy. They will cut production of the gasoline powered vehicles for the time being, once the Blutec SUVs are in full swing, things will pick back up just a little bit. Name a mid size SUV that can get near 30mpg and go more than 600 miles on a single tank. I know of 2. ML320 CDI/BT and RX-hybrid.
Bill 10:48PM (7/25/2008)
Maybe they can retool to build electric Smarts. Or at least the A-class.
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