According to the preliminary Dealer Ordering Guide for the 2010 C-Class we have some great new additions! This information is not final and can be changed before the vehicle arrives.

New standard wheels for the C300 Sport (no photo yet)
Standard Nappa Leather Steering Wheel
4-way power lumbar support added to P1
Passenger side tilt-down mirror
Keyless-Go is a stand-alone option!
Available rear view camera – finally the scene from National Treasure will be accurate.
Tire Pressure monitoring system with read-out for each wheel
Driver’s side knee airbag added

New Dynamic Handling Package Added: for C300 and C350 Sport (2WD)
- Driver-adjustable suspension with continuously variable damping
- Speed-sensitive power steering with more direct steering ratio
- Steering wheel shift paddles
- 18″ AMG wheels

The Alternative Motor Vehicle credit (30b) that can be used to get a tax credit for purchasing one of our diesel SUVs has been improved by the stimulus bill. You can now claim the full credit amount regardless of your personal tax situation and income. This change applies to BlueTEC SUVs purchased after January 1st, 2009.

Important notes on the tax credit:
Must be purchased, not leased
The credit is claimed on your Income Tax Returns, not at time of sale
The upcoming ML450 and S400 hybrids will qualify for the same program, amounts to be determined.
Toyota/Lexus are no longer eligible for these credits
2009 ML320 BlueTEC qualifies for $900 credit
2009 GL320 BlueTEC qualifies for $1800 credit
2009 R320 BlueTEC qualifies for $1550 credit

Silly Hippies

We hear so much bad news about the auto industry right now that it seems like every manufacturer is on the brink of collapse. That just isn’t the case. The new car side of MBUSA is down about 30% this year. The good news is that the pre-owned side has picked up the slack and is up about 30%! This is the end-of-month press release from MBUSA. It is exciting to see how many new GLKs are now on the road!

MERCEDES-BENZ REPORTS MARCH SALES OF 15,602

04/01/09

MONTVALE, N.J. – Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported March sales of 15,602 vehicles, a decline of 25 percent. The volume leaders for the month were the C, E, and GLK-Class with sales of 5,008, 1,978, and 2,598 respectively. On a year-to-date basis, the company sold 40,234 new vehicles, a decrease of 30.2 percent over the comparable period last year.

Separately, through the Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) program, MBUSA sold 6,614 vehicles in March; a 29.4 percent increase compared to March 2008 sales of 5,110 vehicles. Year-to-date sales for the MBCPO program are 19,162, a 44.6 percent increase over 2008 year-to-date sales (13,252 vehicles) during the same timeframe.

Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. For more than forty years, MBUSA has taken pride in its commitment to the customer by providing superior quality luxury vehicles coupled with outstanding customer support. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.maybachusa.com.

Here is the information from the preliminary Dealer Ordering Guide for the 2010 ML-Class. This is a preliminary version and is subject to change at any point. Pricing has not been announced. All versions will be avaliable in August with the exception of the ML450 Hybrid that will be released in December.

ML320 Bluetec name changed to ML350 Bluetec
New Colors: Palladium Silver and Steel Grey
Standard Burl Walnut wood replaces Birdseye Maple wood
Tilt down passenger side mirror – now called “parking support mirror”
Wood Wheel available as stand alone option
Enhanced tire pressure monitoring system (displays PSI)
POST-SAFE added – post-accident safety feature
P2 package, lighting package are now standard on ML63

ML450 Hybrid Added to Line-up
335 horse-power, 354 lb/ft torque
8-Speed CVT transmission
Two-mode full hybrid power train
Reduced fuel consumption and emissions
Purely electric operation
Start/stop function
Brake-energy regeneration
19″ 5-spoke wheel with run-flats
Power dome hood
Graphic hybrid display in COMAND
Air suspension