Overview & Reviews

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?" That's the opening line of "Mercedes-Benz," a song most famously recorded by singer Janis Joplin in the early 1970s. The tune gently poked fun at materialism and our desire for the finer things in life. It's fitting that the renowned German marque figures prominently in the lyric. Mercedes-Benz has long been known for crafting vehicles that emphasize luxury and refinement. For many, its vehicles are sleek symbols of status, success and good taste.

In January of 1886, Karl Benz unveiled the world's first automobile, a three-wheeled vehicle dubbed the Benz Patent Motor Car. A few months later, Gottlieb Daimler and his chief engineer Wilhelm Maybach rolled out a four-wheeled vehicle powered by his Daimler engine. The first Mercedes was crafted in 1901, shortly after Daimler's death. Built by Maybach, the car was commissioned by Emil Jellinek, one of Daimler's primary distributors, and was ultimately named after Jellinek's daughter, Mercedes.

In 1926, the companies founded by Daimler and Benz merged to form Daimler-Benz AG, and the Mercedes-Benz brand was born. The company's insignia was a three-pointed star wreathed in a laurel; the star was dreamed up by Daimler years earlier, and its three points signified the fact that his engines were used in vehicles that traveled land, air and sea.

Right from the start, the Mercedes-Benz name was synonymous with automotive excellence. One of the automaker's earliest vehicles, the 1931 Mercedes-Benz 170, distinguished itself as the world's first production car to offer a technology that was nothing short of extraordinary for the day: four-wheel independent suspension. The '30s and '40s saw Mercedes establishing itself as the brand of choice for car buyers seeking the ultimate in luxury, thanks to coveted cruisers like the 380 and 540K.

The 1950s witnessed the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing," a sports car that has been described as being the world's first supercar. With its dramatic styling and race-bred technology, the 300 SL reigns today as a classic coveted by collectors worldwide. The decade also saw Daimler-Benz making strides in the area of safety technology. The company's Mercedes-Benz 220 sedans were the first vehicles to incorporate its patented "crumple zone" body design, created to absorb impact in the event of a crash.

In 1963, the company cemented its reputation as the home of automotive luxury with the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 600. The elegant, luxurious sedan was also available as a limousine and featured an ahead-of-its-time air suspension system and a V8 engine that boasted 300 horsepower. The decade also saw the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3. This full-size sedan went from zero to 60 in under seven seconds, distinguishing itself as the quickest luxury car is its day.

The 1970s saw the birth of the brand's storied S-Class line of vehicles, opulent sedans and coupes that coddled passengers with powerful engines and a long list of luxury features. The decade also saw Mercedes continuing on the cutting edge of safety technology, by being the first to offer antilock brakes in its vehicles.

Daimler-Benz's safety advancements continued in the 1980s. Its cars were the first to offer airbags and traction control. The manufacturer also raised the bar in terms of ride comfort and handling when it introduced multilink rear suspension. The technology debuted on the compact Mercedes-Benz 190 E, and it remains a vital component of the company's chassis engineering to this day.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles got an extra dose of power and performance in the 1990s, thanks to the manufacturer's partnership with AMG, a performance and tuning shop that was eventually purchased by the company to help produce ultra-high-performance versions of some of its vehicles. The first AMG model offered in the U.S. was the sporty C36 AMG in 1995; since then, Mercedes has gone on to offer an AMG-tuned version of almost all of its vehicles.

The company's current lineup is the most comprehensive in its history. With a variety of sedans, coupes, SUVs and roadsters filling Mercedes showrooms, it seems like the only thing missing is a pickup truck. Surely, the fact that Janis Joplin's song holds as much relevance today as it did four decades ago is a strong indicator that the brand's premier status is still very much intact.

User Reviews:

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  Best car for me ever - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Lee - November 28 - 8:13 am

  Finally bought myself an early retirement present. Question is. Why did I wait so long? I absolutely love this car. Yes, its the typical Black on black - but hey, its a Mercedes. Powerful, smooth, and I usually get about 25 mpg in the city which equals to about 350 miles to a tank of gas. The trunk has plenty of room, the heated seats are sweet, the sun roof is excellent. I love the quality and appeal. Should you be able to get your hands on one, you wont be disappointed.

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  2001 ML - 430 problems - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bob E. - November 27 - 5:46 pm

  I bought the vehicle new and now have a total of 23000 miles. The brakes were replaced at 22500 miles due to excessive noise [squeel] the new breaks also squeal bad have tried everything to quiet them down. Replaced the drivers heated seat. The GPS system stinks. I advised the dealer of a loss of water in the radiator and was advised that I needed a new water hose, six months later the hose came in that I had paid for, however no water leaked during that time. After many calls they finally gave my money back for the special order hose. No heat in the floor, dealer advised to shut off dash vents? Wow is this quality of MB or a page from a Model A Ford. All of my cars are garage kept.

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  My E500 AWD - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jm hilton - November 26 - 5:20 pm

  A great automobile with plenty of power, excellent comfort, and good mileage on trips (22+ mpg). The drive dynamic seats, keyless go, parktronic and navigation systems are super. No failures in the 19 months/19000 miles.

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  No Complaints-Great Buy - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DSR - November 25 - 12:20 pm

  I bought this car off Ebay from a non-MB dealer Dec 28, 2008. Car had 29K miles. Still has balance of warranty. This car has a build date of March 07. Im guessing whatever problem history the 06 E350 4matic had was cleared up by the time mine was built. Car performs well and has been reliable since day one. Paint, fit & finish is exceptional. Like the all black look. Paid less than $20K for the car because the market is in the tank and I smile every second behind the wheel knowing my brother-in-law paid more for a 06 Toyota Avalon. I kept my other car a 94 E320 that Ive had for 12 years with 100K miles because I just cant part with it. No complaints with this E350 4Matic!!

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  The future is here and it is CDI - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Mac Miller - November 25 - 5:13 am

  We took our ML320 CDI on a 4 day trip through the winter mountains of Oregon and California. The ML ate it up. Heres why: Full time 4 wheel drive with full time traction and stability control, quiet roomy interior, comfortable seats, a bright sunroof and pleasant interior decor, driving feel of a car and not a truck, and an incredible drivetrain. This very quiet diesel engine and 7-speed transmission make the ML a rocket. You never lack for power. Ever. You want to pass someone? Uphill? Press the throttle and its done. Heres the best part. We got 27 mpg on our trip!

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  L e m o n !!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By e320mb - November 25 - 2:26 am

  Boy, did I get a lemon! I have had the car for almost 5 years now, bought it used at 3 years and have spent thousands of dollars to keep it on the road. In the last 6 months, I have only driven 3,000 kms due to not trusting its reliability and now when it needs its snowtires off, the repairs of $2,880 shocks me yet again. Every time I take it for service it costs me thousands. Will be dumping it for something reliable = perhaps a Toyota - anything has got to be better than this. Talk about mis-advertising because this baby sure does not prove German engineering. Must have been a Monday or Friday car or when MB was associated with Chrysler, used Chrysler parts and charged MB prices.

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  Best Kept Secret - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BK - November 24 - 5:43 pm

  This vehicle is unique. Way better than an SUV - getting kids in and out of the rear-facing 3rd seat is a breeze. Minivans and SUVs dont have this kind of handling and fuel economy. Mine now has 87k on it and still looks new. I set the cruise at 80 and get 27 mpg with five people aboard. When it snows, we prefer the Benz to my wifes Jeep because the AWD and ESP makes any trip in snow uneventful. Only minor issues --clicking driver seat that I put up with because its $600 (I think) for a new seat adjuster -- and burned out time & temp pixels on the Instrument Panel ($Big$). Id buy another one of these cars in a heartbeat.

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  Absolute Dream Car- 2005 e-320 4matic - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Robert @ Providence, RI - November 24 - 7:10 am

  Have had my car for six months and have put 4000 miles on it, making 49,000 on a 2005 Model. It runs flawlessly and each time I turn the key is a joy. I only drive it locally in Rhode Island and have an excellent neighborhood Garage to perform required maintenance. Owner/Master Mechanic said,"You dont ever want to sell this car. It is in great condition!" And I wont...

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  Unreliable S - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By mrsgrace - November 24 - 3:01 am

  Purchased this car 2.5 years ago. The car was a 2006 with 45K miles. After only 2.5 years of driving this used car the Transmission tanked, just shut down. I was told by the mechanic at the dealer that a part inside was broken and it would cost $6,000 to fix - I thought i was getting a bargain purchasing this car for $19000 with only 40k miles, what a mistake. Prior to the transmission going the car randomly drops the left side suspension. Apparently the air shocks deflate overnight or while parked for a long time and it tilts to one side. Gas guzzler too, costs me $100 a week to fill it up!

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  Wow - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MyE63 - November 23 - 2:10 am

  I am so happy with my E63. It has awesome power, yet its a comfortable ride for cruising. The car is versatile, and flexible. Ive owned 3 MBs now, and this car is by far the best Ive ever had. What a rock solid car.