Mercedes-Benz was celebrating two premieres at once. The new M-class is the first sport-utility vehicle to carry the star and it's also the first Mercedes passenger vehicle to be produced in the United States.

The fascinating off-roader has been on the market since the autumn of 1997 in North America, advancing almost overnight to a hit. Since the introduction of the ML 320 and the special European version, the ML 230 in March of 1998 and, most recently, the ML 430, the all-round talent is fascinating the public in Europe.