REDFORD, MI - Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) announced  Mercedes-Benz engines received the award for "Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Vocational Heavy-Duty Truck Engines" in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Heavy Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Study.

The results from the 2009 Heavy Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Study were based on interviews with 2,421 owner/operators and fleet managers of heavy duty trucks. Of the customers interviewed, the average length in-service among trucks in the study is 25 months, allowing ample time for customers to accurately assess their vehicles. Respondents interviewed are asked questions about their level of satisfaction with engine quality, performance, cost of ownership and warranty.

"We are pleased with the results of this recent J.D. Power and Associates study and award. Considering the engines included in this survey are entirely comprised of our legacy models, like the MBE4000, we feel that our customers can expect even better performance and support from our new lineup of engines - the DD13, DD15, and soon to be launched DD16. Our new engines are proving to be industry benchmarks for efficiency, reliability and power," said Amanda Phillips, manager, product marketing for Detroit Diesel who distributes Mercedes-Benz engines in the U.S.

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The DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines are all-new heavy-duty engines from Detroit Diesel that cover three displacement categories: 13 liters, 15 liters and 16 liters. The engines share a common platform design that is leveraged on a global scale by Daimler Trucks.

Detroit Diesel has been certified by the EPA as meeting 2010 emissions targets for the DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines with BlueTec emissions technology.  Detroit Diesel chose selective catalytic reduction (SCR) as the primary technology to meet the EPA 2010 emissions regulations. SCR has proven to be an effective means to reduce NOx emissions and is the only proven technology for meeting the EPA 2010 standards as measured at the tailpipe.

"Considering that Mercedes-Benz has placed significant emphasis on being an industry leader for nearly 20 years in the areas most important to customers, the high marks in the vocational segment come as no surprise," said Phillips. "However, now that our vocational engines have received the top marks from customers two years in a row, this signals that our Mercedes-Benz brand is delivering strong value to an entirely different range of customers in the demanding North American vocational segment. The future opportunities for our brand in the vocational segment are tremendous."

For more information, go to www.DetroitDiesel.com.