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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  FALLING APART - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By MIKEXXX2 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  THE CAR HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS. HERE ARE A FEW, BRAKES, TRUNK NOISES, SMELLS, ROOF NOISE AND MANY OTHERS.

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  My first Mercedes Benz/AMG - 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Luis Mirasol - March 22 - 11:18 pm

  MB does not provide a tire jack and wrench with these new models because they come with run-flat tires. If this is your first MB, even though the concierge explains all the features to you when you pick up the car, its hard to remember everything he/she says. Read your owners manual and refer to the MB online vidoes on how to operate certain features of the car.

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  Highly impressed after 12,000 miles - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By evan_s - March 19 - 6:51 pm

  I have owned the E350 sedan for a year and a half and alternate it between a 2009 S550 and a 2007 BMW 530i. I live in Costa Rica where the roads consist of endless pot holes and hap-hazard patches with undulating curves and steep inclines. The E350 has proven to be a very capable car and is the one I choose for the twisty mountain roads. It is not outright sporty, but extremely agile and confident on the curves and absorbs the rough surfaces without completely isolating the driver, no simple feat considering the coil suspension. The engine and transmission make short work of passing and climbing steep hills and the brakes dont exhibit fade on long downhill treks. Overall, highly impressed.

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  Absolutely in love with the car! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By E - March 18 - 9:20 am

  This is my first Mercedes and I absolutely love it! I bought a 2008 model with package 2, and enjoy every day of driving it. Very beautiful, people always look at it. Good gas mileage, excellent handling, very smooth and quiet ride, excellent breaking: stops immediately with hardly any noticeable impact. Excellent suspension offers comfort or sport ride options. Powerful V6 engine, traction control and 4matic all wheel drive helps to handle the car very well on the slippery roads and snow. Has lots of neat features inside and out.

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  2012 MB C250 Coupe (CPO) - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ezshift5 - March 17 - 8:39 pm

  6 months/2500 miles ago I drove home from the dealer. Using the CPO approach, my cost was 2/3 the original owners cost. Fuel efficiency (29 MPG since purchase), Reliability (Zero problems to date) and design (Both the exterior and the interior really appeal to this sailor. And that is part of my reason to buy this car. The other reason was CR ratings for the 2012 C250. IIRC, all red dots really got my attention.

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  2014 e class e350 4 matic - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By cdl1213 - March 17 - 6:41 pm

  Picked up my e 350 today .It ia black with silk beige interior it has amg wheel package rear spoiler split rear seats p1 package lane tracking and blind spot indicator package.It is similar to my 2012 e 350 . The front and rear ends are new the shape is the same as my old one .The ecostart take some getting used to , there is a button to shut it off.The look of the car is great ,so is the ride.Some new safety features are standard such as collision avoidance . There is a control to change the ambient lighting in the car . You have a choice of three colors. Really like the agressive look of this car. Cant wait to open it up

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  Best Deal Out There - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Rocco Lemoncola - March 17 - 6:06 pm

  It was the new Volvo that stops iyself, the new Lexus that flies over traffic, or the old BMX X3. Drove them all and liked them all. The Benz was the best deal, hands down. Drives and feels like a Mercedes, which only a Benz feels like. Stereo, Navigation, Bluetooth all excellent. Highly recommend.

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  Loving My AMG - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AMG Believer - March 16 - 2:26 pm

  Was on the fence between the M3, E63, 09 CTS-V and the C63. Boy did I make the right choice. This car is absolutely amazing. I hit 160 and the car felt like it was just getting started. Only complaint is the tires - already had to replace at 7k miles, but that was more a function of driver (hee hee). Anyway, this sedan is the real deal. My wife, who I had to convince to let me buy, even loves to take it out for the occassional Sunday stroll.

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  Two Thumbs Up - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Razorback - March 16 - 7:33 am

  Better quality than previous model years. When sitting in the drivers seat you feel safe and secure. Drives and handles exceptionaly well. Dials and gauges well thought out and positioned in the cabin so you can see them easily.

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  snow= no go - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By snow bound - March 16 - 2:00 am

  I love my CLK 500 but in the snow.. its a no go... make sure to realize this if you live in an area that receives lots of snow. 1 inch is one inch too many for the CLK-500.... other than that it is a great car with a terrific engine...