New Automotive Joint Venture, DRIVEtest LLC, Celebrates Grand Opening

    LAREDO, Texas, Aug. 30 DRIVEtest LLC, the new automotive
joint venture company created to conduct durability testing in the U.S. for
DaimlerChrysler Corp. (DCC) of Auburn Hills, Mich., officially celebrated its
grand opening here today.

    Officials from the two joint-venture partners -- Smithers Scientific
Services Inc. and Auto Testing Company Inc. (ATC), a subsidiary of Mercedes-
Benz U.S. International Inc. -- were on hand with other local dignitaries for
remarks, tours of the facility and the formal ribbon-cutting.

    The new company, located at the Auto Testing Properties LLC (ATP) Proving
Ground in Laredo, was established to test the durability of power-train
systems in Dodge and Chrysler cars and trucks.

    "DRIVEtest will meet Chrysler's stringent pre-production component testing
requirements," said Helmut Keller, chairman and CEO of DRIVEtest and ATC.

    More than $3.5 million was invested by ATP to enhance the proving ground
as a result of the DRIVEtest contract with DaimlerChrysler. Improvements at
the ATP proving ground include:

    * Construction of a 65-ft.-high hill climb with a 20-percent grade on one
      side and a 30-percent grade on the other;
    * Construction of a 14,000-sq.-ft. administrative building and garage;
    * Installation of a 40-ft. splash trough to detect under-carriage
      corrosion; three stop/reverse lanes on the five-mile high-speed track; a
      fuel island; and additional parking and security enhancements.