AM General Begins Production of Mercedes R-Class Minivans

U.S. military vehicle maker AM General LLC began making the Mercedes-Benz R-Class luxury minivan in Indiana on Tuesday.

The vehicle, which currently is offered only in China, has been assembled since 2005 at Daimler AG's factory in Alabama. Hiring AM General to build the car frees up capacity to expand output in Alabama for Mercedes-Benz's new GLE midsize crossover and GLS large three- and five-door crossover vehicles.

AM General produced the Humvee until 2010 and continues to make several other military vehicles. The company also made the Hummer H1 and H2 SUVs for General Motors Co. until GM killed the brand in 2010.