  For any solvable Lie group whose exponential map $\exp_G\colon{\mathfrak
g}\to G$ is bijective, we prove that the real rank of $C^*(G)$ is equal to
$\dim({\mathfrak g}/[{\mathfrak g},{\mathfrak g}])$. We also indicate a proof
of a similar formula for the stable rank of $C^*(G)$, as well as some estimates
on the ideal generated by the projections in $C^*(G)$.
