German automaker Mercedes-Benz has been making cars which have been making heads turn for as long as we can remember. The European automaker's Alabama assembly facility recently reached a landmark when the 1 millionth Mercedes-Benz vehicle was produced at the said facility.

It took 10 years and nine months for the automaker to build the 1 millionth vehicle off of the Alabama plant. In 1997, the first Mercedes-Benz M-Class was built at the said facility. Today, there are three models being assembled at the plant and they are the new-generation M-Class, the R-Class Sports Tourer and the GL-Class SUV. The milestone vehicle was a white M-Class 350 which will be donated to an Alabama-based charity.

"Our entire organization is extremely proud of this accomplishment and the global teamwork that has made it happen," said Bill Taylor, plant manager of the Tuscaloosa assembly facility since 1998. "Alabama has provided us with an excellent workforce and this state has been committed to the success of our business. Because of that commitment to our plant, we plan to donate this vehicle to a non-profit within the state." At present, the company is still deciding on which charity will they donate the vehicle.

The first-generation M-Class which was manufactured at the assembly plant has been made available to United States auto buyers since 1998. According to the automaker, more than 570,000 units of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class have been manufactured in the Tuscaloosa plant. Half of them were sold in the United States.

This year, the German automaker has already sold 146,900 units of the M-Class all over the world. That is ten percent more than what they have sold last year for the same period showing that the M-Class is still one of the fiercest competitors in its segment.