The star of Daimler shines bright over Stuttgart. The giant illuminated emblem of its most famous car, the Mercedes, towers above the main train station, greeting visitors. It is visible for miles. “As soon as you arrive,” said Manfred Niess, a retired teacher and local environmental activist, “you know who rules here.” Now, though, Daimler and other automakers in Stuttgart are facing a startling new reality: It may soon be illegal for some to drive a Mercedes in this city, where the local soccer club plays in the Mercedes-Benz stadium. On Tuesday, a German court ruled that Stuttgart , one of the country’s most polluted cities, can ban diesel cars from driving in downtown areas to improve air quality. The ruling could ultimately lead to bans in […]