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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  LOVE IT - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By ReneeGlenn - September 27 - 2:00 am

  Its the nicest car I have ever owned

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  ML350 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By paul - September 26 - 7:43 pm

  This SUV is actually fun to drive. Plenty of pep for a 6 cylinder. The car is smooth as silk. My wife loves the rear view camera. I love the overall comfort.

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  Best used car value - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By John - September 24 - 8:36 am

  We bought used with 12500 miles under $21K. List was over $32K . Car is only 15 months old and has remainder of 4/50 warranty including full maintanence! Is a terrific used car value, but not so good resale if buy new. Dealer disclosed all history and car has never had any warranty issues, just flex maintenance. MB got it right on C-class with regard to quality issues. Car handles and drives great and gets great gas mileage rated 23/30 but we are getting about 22 city and 35 highway! 8 air bags and esp makes for very safe ride. No rattles and very solid feel. Hatchback is great for getting big things in and out. Considering an 06 Civic EX is over 21 this is great value for your money

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  My SL55 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Long Island AMG - September 22 - 10:00 am

  I have the SL55 AMG and it performs above expectations. Seating is comfortable I just finished a trip from Florida to New York and both my wife & I enjoyed every mile. The highway patrol also enjoyed it I was stopped in almost every state!

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  wonderful car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By BobBarfester - September 22 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive, pleasure to own, wonderfully built car, pleasant dealship people and just an all around great convertible as long as you can afford it

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  Beautiful Car - Has Some Little "Issues" - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MnK - September 20 - 10:40 pm

  I love my E320 - but it has been in the shop too many times for the same issues. First: the integrated telephone. Dont waste your money! I sound like I have my head in a bowl whenever I use it - and it took out my audio when they installed it. The dealership had the car for a total of approx. 6 wks to get it fixed. Recently brake light malfunction came on. Dealership tried to sell me brakes I didnt need. All that needed replaced was the sensor in the rear brake light. It took almost 2 weeks to get the sensor diagnosed and replaced. Other than that the car is fabulous. MB needs to get their service centers to solidly, accurately support their products.

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  C320 Sedan is great - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Andy J - September 20 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive, lots power C320 with attrative styling especially the head lamp

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  Loving the ride into the Luxo World! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dasche - September 20 - 8:56 am

  Just got my black on black C300 Sport w/automatic last week. My biggest decision was settling on a color, almost got the white but found a black on black w/the panoramic roof in the dealers online inventory at a great price. I got $1,125.00 off the sticker & was happy w/the deal. This car is turning heads everywhere i go, getting honks & thumbs up while driving on the highway. after driving a Crossover SUV i was extremely pleased to get 400 mls on a full tank. Im having a hard time leaving the car parked. The plan was too drive my old vehicle as a daily driver & keep the Benz for special occassions. This baby is too beautiful to leave sitting!

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  Definitely a Home Run - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Jeff McKechnie - September 17 - 1:00 pm

  This car was everything I had hoped it to be. Very luxurious interior and exterior styling to die for. I have never had a car that drew so many positive comments. Women seem to love the styling. Performance for such a heavy car is amazing and really does push you back in your seat. Gas mileage although not great is more than acceptable and I hit 27 mpg on the highway --not bad. Handling is good but would like to have had an AMG handling package as an option and a AMG exhaust which has an unbelievable sound. Only had one problem and that was the rear air suspension had to be replaced. Hopefully this is not a potential issue for this car. Overall I love this car.

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  Got what I paid for - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Bill B - September 17 - 12:20 pm

  I wanted a business car to let clients and potential key employees know that our business is "for real", and this car fits the bill perfectly. The Lexus LS 430 has more electronics for less money, but just doesnt make the same statement. The command system is easy to use - but this is my second MB, so maybe Im "trained" already. My wife has a new Lexus with navigation, and the 2006 Mercedes navigation is easier to use and much more intuitive - not at all what I expected, based on earlier year reviews. I thought Id like the Lexus touch screen better - but the MB buttons are just so easy... Ive had zero problems or defects, and Im extreemly picky about my cars.