The Mercedes-Benz US car manufacturing plant is located in Vance, Alabama, some 19 miles (or 31 kilometers) east of downtown Tuscaloosa, where the GLE, GLE coupé, and GLS model series of SUVs are produced.
The US plant was established in 1995 by Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, on around 1,000 acres of land which Alabama donated in order to attract the facility to the state. When the factory produced its first car in 1997, it was the first major Mercedes-Benz passenger car production facility outside Germany.
The site also houses the Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center with exhibits of Mercedes cars through history. Factory tours are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays for a $5 charge, which begin and end at the Visitor Center and last approximately 1.5 hours.
