All-New Mercedes-Benz M-Class Sponsors Boston Marathon

Second-Generation M-Class SUV Makes Good Time at 109th Marathon

BOSTON, April 13 -- . Mercedes-Benz -- itself celebrating 119 years of building cars -- is proud to be Official Vehicle Sponsor for the 109th Boston Marathon and to highlight the all-new 2006 M-Class SUV. The all-new M-Class will serve as lead and course vehicles over the 26-mile course. Marathoners' active lifestyles and outdoor sports fit perfectly with the M-Class' versatility and elegant design.

New and useful technology abounds in the 2006 M-Class, including the world's only seven-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel-drive and available height-adjustable air suspension. A redesigned interior welcomes the driver with a sporting instrument panel, rich materials and spaciousness for all five seating positions. Over 72 cubic feet of cargo room provides ample space for luggage or even sports equipment. The fold-down rear seat is split so that one or two people can ride in the back, even when loaded with long objects such as bicycles. Impressively, loading and unloading is made even easier with a remote power liftgate -- perfect for a quick getaway when you're about to run 26 miles.

Both the ML350 and ML500 just went on sale at the greater Boston area's authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers: Flagship Motorcars in Lynnfield, MA; Foreign Motors West, Inc. in Natick; Chambers Motorcars of Boston in Somerville; Mercedes-Benz of Westwood; Smith Motor Sales in Haverhill; and Trans-Atlantic Motors, Inc. in Hyannis.

About Mercedes-Benz USA

MBUSA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. In 2004, MBUSA achieved an all-time sales record of 221,610 new vehicles, setting the highest sales volume ever in its history and achieving eleven consecutive years of sales growth. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found on the Internet at http://www.mbusa.com/ and http://www.maybachusa.com/ .

NOTE TO EDITORS: This story and high-resolution photos can be downloaded from the MBUSA news-media website at: http://media.mbusa.com