Mercedes-Benz Sports Car, Tennis Hall of Fame Celebrate 50 Years

Tennis Legends Gather for Hall of Fame 50th and 50 years of SL Sports Car

MONTVALE, N.J., July 19 -- Professional tennis legends gathered at the International Tennis Hall of Fame to induct its newest members during festivities for the 50th Anniversary of the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. In conjunction, several tennis legends also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the legendary Mercedes-Benz SL sports car.

Having debuted in 1954 to remarkable acclaim due partly to its "Gullwing" doors and race car genes, all five generations of the flagship sports car -- with the latest limited-production, 604-hp 2005 SL65 AMG supercar in the foreground -- were present with tennis heroes. Pictured from left to right are Stan Smith, Ken Rosewall, Guillermo Vilas, Virginia Wade, Margaret Court and 2004 inductee, Stefan Edberg. Mercedes-Benz has been the preeminent sponsor of ATP Tennis since 1996.

  

  About Mercedes-Benz USA

Mercedes-Benz USA is headquartered near New York City in Montvale, NJ and is responsible for the U.S. sales, service and marketing of Mercedes-Benz cars and light trucks as well as the Maybach super-luxury sedan. MBUSA employs about 1,500 people in 20 different locations around the nation. In 2003, the company sold 218,717 vehicles through a nationwide network of over 300 retailers in the U.S., setting the highest-ever sales volume in its history.