The award went to the East London plant because it had yielded the fewest defects and malfunctions of any plant serving the US market.

 For the second year running, Mercedes-Benz South Africa's (MBSA) manufacturing plant in East London has received a top award in the J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS) - this time outdoing its own earlier achievement to receive the Platinum Plant Quality Award.

 Last year, the plant received the 2009 IQS Gold Plant Quality Award for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects and malfunctions of any plant in the Europe and Africa region that serve the U.S. market. This year's award, however, is for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects and malfunctions of any automotive plant supplying the U.S. market.

 With only 28 defects per 100 vehicles, the East London plant, which produces the Mercedes-Benz C-Class for both the local and the U.S. market, has shot to the top of all global plants that serve the U.S. market.

 "Daimler's East London plant has been a top performing plant and its achievement in 2010 is particularly impressive," said Brian Walters, vice president of Europe, Middle East and Africa operations at J.D. Power and Associates. "Daimler's rigorous quality management processes are a key reason for why the brand has been able to assemble consistently high-quality vehicles in different regions of the world."

 "To receive such an award despite the relentless pressure and stresses of the global recession over the past two years, points to the brilliant quality of our people and processes," says Dr Hansgeorg Niefer, president and CEO: MBSA. "It is indeed an achievement of which we are very proud."

 The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was also rated highest in the Entry Premium Car segment. Other achievements from the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 U.S. IQS study include four other Mercedes-Benz models that achieved second position in their respective segments: the E-Class in the Midsize Premium Car category; the S-Class in the Large Premium Car category; the E-Class Coupe in the Compact Premium Sporty Car category; and the GL-Class in the Large Premium Crossover/SUV category.

 The J.D. Power and Associates IQS study captures problems experienced by owners in two distinct categories - design-related problems and defects and malfunctions. Plant awards are based solely on defect and malfunction.

 The 2010 U.S. Initial Quality Study is based on responses from more than 82 000 U.S. purchasers and lessees of new 2010 model-year vehicles surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study, which took place between February and May 2010, is based on a 228-question battery designed to provide manufacturers with information to facilitate identification of problems and to drive product improvement.

 MBSA's East London plant has also received accolades in the J.D. Power and Associates South Africa Initial Quality Study (IQS), which is based on survey responses from South African owners. In the 2007 and 2008 South Africa IQS studies, the East London plant was ranked highest among South African automotive plants in initial quality.

 *The South Africa Initial Quality Study was not conducted in 2009.