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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  Need a Slush Fund to own this one! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By GL320 Owner - February 6 - 12:36 am

  CONS: A MB service tech told me 18 months after I purchased my GL320 that you need a slush fund keep this car on the road, addition to the already known cost due to regular service maintenance. Oh...how he was right! I have had the air-suspension module replaced twice. Tires-they are only good for 20-30,000 miles and at $1200 for a set of four it gets expensive, and let me just add there are only two tires to pick from-the Continentals and the PirelliÂ’s. Windshield-twice now at $989.00. I love the Bluetooth while driving, however it disconnects when the car is turned off and the door is opened. Then you canÂ’t use your phone for about another 5 mins while itÂ’s still disconnecting.

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  Oil leak causes stirring wheel to lock - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By NJG - February 3 - 10:13 pm

  With less than 6000 miles on the car has had issues with tire pressure, brakes, warning lights and then mother of all car stopping all together in the middle of a busy rd. due to an oil leak that caused the stirring wheel belt to come off. Dealer took close to 2 hrs to send assistance and cannot figure out where the leak is coming from. I will never ever buy MB. Their service stinks for the money one pays. Anyone even remotely considering this car should really burn their money than risk their childrens life in this car.

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  Not impressed after just 5 months - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steven Miller MD - February 3 - 9:20 pm

  My wife and I purchased a 2009 C300 this past May at a local dealership. We got employee pricing via a friend who works there. We read a lot of great reviews and some bad reviews and found both sides to be true. The car drives smooth and quietly on highways and backroads but is boring to drive. The suspension is soft but contolled. The engine is smooth but drinks gas like an SUV. It is also not that powerful for a $46k luxury car. The exterior look is what got us to consider it but the interior plastics are very low quality. Steering is a bit disconnected. The brakes feel squishy after long high speed stops.

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  Fun To Drive - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mongoose777 - February 3 - 3:10 am

  I compared this car to the BMW 3 series and found it to be a better all around car. I almost bought the 2006 model with v6 motor, but wanted the supercharged 4L with better gas mileage. This car is truly a fun car to drive. I know its not MB top of the line, but my car came with the H/K sound system, NAV,Xenon lights,Tel-Aid phone,Powered driver seat,17" chrome wheels etc. etc.. Its nice to know that I get the same extra amenities that the bigger (more expensive) upper models get, but at a fraction of the cost.

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  The Smoothest ride! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By mb lover - February 3 - 12:50 am

  I love this car! This is my 2nd Mercedes. I Previously owned the M class and turned it in for this. I needed some convincing because of its van-like shape, but I drove it and had to get it in the Black it looks so much sportier! The front of the vehicle makes a bold statement. Its a definite head-turner or maybe its me. My R is by far the smoothest and heavy riding car I have ever owned with plenty of space.I love to drive it and it loves to drive. I could go on with the pros but you do need to drive one to feel the whole experience. I wish there were more standard options in this luxury crossover but hey, its a Mercedes!

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  Very quiet automoblle - 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Happy in Florida - February 2 - 1:56 pm

  This auto drives and rides like no other. Very quiet and powerful. New hard drive in dash makes listening to music much easier.

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  Very Pleased with ML 320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By femmesophisticate - February 2 - 2:00 am

  I traded my BRAND NEW JGCL with 16K miles on it due to numerous problems. Got the 99 ML320 for an excellent price with under 42K miles, and I am not looking back. The car handles well, and is excellent in wintery weather/ice. Acceleration is good (especially in highway traffic), and my choc lab LOVES this car - no more lurching off the back seat when I drive off due to excellent stability! Just to be safe, bought an extended warranty for an additional 36k miles - have not had to use it yet, so maybe I wasted my money on that. Overall, an excellent buy. Now, I just have to convince my family to bury me in it when the time comes!

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  Excellent! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By D Strickel - February 2 - 2:00 am

  Very solid, nice power for engine size. Comfortable and very fun to drive! Useful luxury features such as steering wheel controls, dual zone temp, teleaid, nice stereo. Handling is awsome, car feels very adaptable to different driving situations. Amazing reactions from people on the street for a car under $100k.

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  2003 240 "C" Class - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By GSF - February 2 - 2:00 am

  I have driven the C240 for 9 months without any problems. It is fun to drive, quiet, smooth, responsive, and the controls are very ergonomic and intuitive. We really enjoy the car....what is there not to like?

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  Different paradigm of diesel technology - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By CM - February 1 - 10:06 pm

  This car is in no way similar to the diesels my dad drove; gone are the days of turning off the air conditioning to get up the hills on the freeway. The harder you push this diesel the more refined it sounds. It seems to have a deep well of power and torque that never stops pleasing. I love this car!