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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  Great car, cheap paint - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By james krim - January 17 - 5:40 pm

  This car drives like it should cost twice of what it did. For the money you cant beat it. Very disappointed with the paint, bugs left marks on the front spoiler and hood wash twice a week and it still took the paint off. Love the car but wouldnt buy another one because of the cheap paint.

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  Like a Rock - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Frank - January 17 - 1:20 pm

  Extremely solid and seems to be very well built. Great looking especially with the AMG wheels. Interior function is very well thought out. Very solid performer with the sport package. Very new so need more time with the car.

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  Driving my Sun-Roofed Bank Vault - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DOUGCLEM - January 16 - 2:00 am

  I just acquired it!! Finally!Mega- comfort, Mega-quiet, Mega-class!! $93k new in 1995 got a buyer cupholders (Yes, I have them on the doors...$40 apiece), a decent sound system,super- chrome wheels, and the best drop-top coupe ever built. Ive heard that Mercedes lost money on every one that they built due to engineering costs. All I know is that I can fly this baby over bad railroad tracks at 70 mph and the cowl doesnt move a centimeter. 500 lbs of lead in the 4 corners will do wonders for cowl-shake. Doesnt help off-the-line acceleration, but shell boogie up to 130 mph without a whimper. Classic proportions, precision engineering, and faultless built add up to good investment.

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  Lovin it! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SpicyC320 - January 16 - 2:00 am

  Great car all-around. Interior is simple, yet attractive for 04 but restyling for 05 is just plain WOW! Gas mileage could be much better (like the C230K) but is about the same as the IS300.

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  A Great Little SUV - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Ron S. - January 15 - 6:50 pm

  Ive had my GLK 350 a week now, and I love it--particularly the styling and comfortable ride and the vault-like build quality. It doesnt look like every other compact SUV on the road. It has a very masculine look (unlike the melted soap bar profile of so many smaller SUVs).

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  I Like This Mercedes - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mensa - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Love the car, love the reliability and love the look. Unfortunately, Im 61 and 275 lbs and its tight inside. I blame me rather than the car for that.

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  resale value went byby - 1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By white_de - January 14 - 2:00 am

  extremely solid sedan butno dancer in the tulips like earlier MB. Must ignore Dealer on 30-32psi in tires, they have a max of 44 and 40-42 makes it handle much much better. idiots. hate the painted bumpers. exceptional power except when loaded heavy. No real reason to have the eight cylinder unless carrying a band of gypsies on every trip. Very poor ergos for any activities other than transport...do not expect cup holder to function- designed by committee of German engineers with tooooo much time on their hands. KISS! More solid than Lexus430 but not as refined. More elegant than 740 but nowhere as fun to drive

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  ML430 Lemon - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Lupold - January 14 - 2:00 am

  18 warranty issues in 2 years of ownership, including safety, reliability and drivability problems. This is my 3rd and FINAL Mercedes-Benz product.

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  Very satisfied overall, but............ - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Polofreak - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I only had this car for 2 weeks so its difficult for me to give an in-depth evaluation. This car is competitively priced with other vehicles in its class. Great value for a car wearing a badge that was once reserved for the wealthy few. I have had one problem so far. The gas gauge registered 1/2 full when I ran out of gas. The dealer said its a known problem with the C-Class and they will repair it under warranty.

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  First time Benz owner - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Watzup - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I am a first time buyer of MB. I was a bit disappointed with the interior quality of the C320. The cupholder was not design as user friendly. Climate control is cumbersome to use to turn off and control the temp. Driver sit made too much noise with cheap plastics. Key still doesnt work evenafter two replacements. Overall it is too pricey for inferior quality to Acura or Lexus.