Mercedes fined for violating fuel efficiency rules

Mercedes-Benz's U.S. division paid a $28.9 million fine in December for violating federal fuel efficiency requirements, the government said Tuesday.

Mercedes-Benz USA LLC paid the fine for imported passenger cars from the 2007 model year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents released to The Associated Press.

NHTSA assessed more than $37 million in fines from six automakers in 2008, records show. Many manufacturers of luxury vehicles consider the Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, fines as the cost of doing business.

The fines were established to ensure that vehicles meet basic gas mileage standards.

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