On A Roll

IN A MOVE DESIGNED TO CUT COSTS AND BOOST PROduction, Mercedes-Benz is expected to announce this week a decision to build an auto plant on American soil. Daimler-Benz, the corporate parent, has been expanding its links with the U.S., recently signing a deal to become the first German company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. By selecting the U.S. for its assembly plant, the company is placing a huge vote of confidence in American manufacturing. It is also putting its fine-tuned reputation for quality engineering on the line. The factory will produce a new four-wheel-drive family car. Mercedes, which makes cars and trucks in South Africa, Brazil and Mexico, follows rival BMW, which is building a plant in South Carolina.