ATLANTA—New Jersey Governor Chris Christie did his level best to keep Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) in his state. But despite the Republican governor's efforts the German car giant its moving its corporate headquarters to Atlanta, as my colleague Steve Lubetkin reported yesterday.

The reason is two-fold. Mercedes believes it can better serve its growing customer base from the southeastern city. The automaker is also betting the move will strengthen its position for long-term sustainable growth.

"Atlanta is a premier city which places us closer to our ever-growing Southeast customer base, our port in Brunswick, Georgia, and to Mercedes-Benz US International, our Alabama manufacturing facility, which accounts for half of the vehicles we sell here in the US,” says MBUSA president and CEO Stephen Cannon. “For our employees, Atlanta offers a strong quality of life, terrific schools and wonderful cultural and recreational opportunities."