PRESS RELEASE

MBNA Announces Executive Succession Plan

1 April 1997
Mercedes-Benz of North America Announces Executive Succession Plan; Bassermann Named Chairman & CEO for MBNA; Jackson Becomes President

    MONTVALE, N.J., March 31 -- Mercedes-Benz of North America,
Inc., today announced that effective April 1, 1997 Michael Bassermann,
currently President and Chief Executive Officer of MBNA will become Chairman
and CEO.  Mike Jackson, currently Executive Vice President becomes President
while also continuing his responsibility for Marketing, Service and Sales.
    According to Bassermann: "We have embarked on an unparalleled product
offensive and have established very ambitious sales targets from now through
the end of the decade.  For this reason we have engineered an effective and
efficient succession plan to maintain leadership continuity and, thus, our
marketing momentum."
    Bassermann plans to retire at the end of 1998 and, at that time, Jackson
will assume the additional responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer.
    Bassermann, who began his automotive career in 1965 with the Daimler-Benz
organization, assumed leadership of MBNA in July 1992.  Under his direction,
MBNA's annual sales volume increased from 63,312 in 1992 to 90,844 in 1996.
    During his 32 years with the organization, Bassermann held various
management positions both in Germany and in subsidiary companies.  Prior to
becoming President and CEO of MBNA, Bassermann was President of Mercedes-Benz
China and Mercedes-Benz Japan.
    Bassermann serves as a director on various management boards in the U.S.
including that of Mercedes-Benz Credit Corp. and Adtranz (ABB Daimler-Benz
Transportation, North America.)
    Jackson began his career with Mercedes in 1971 as a dealership technician.
Over the next 18 years he broadened his knowledge of the retail auto business
with several auto dealerships, as well as working five years for MBNA as a
district manager and field service manager in the company's former Washington
Zone.  Prior to coming to corporate headquarters in Montvale, N.J. in July
1990 as senior vice president, Jackson was executive vice president, general
manager and partner in Euro Motorcars in Bethesda, Md.
    While a Mercedes dealer, Jackson also served as chairman of the
Mercedes-Benz National Dealer Council and was selected for the 1990 Sports
Illustrated All-Star Dealer Award.  Last year, Jackson was selected by
Automotive News for its 1996 "Dream Team" of automotive executives.

SOURCE  Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc.

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