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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  Wow! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Clotdoc - May 28 - 10:00 am

  What a car! Powerful, very responsive engine and great maneuverability. This is a very sporty four door sedan, for the family man who drives alone from time to time, who likes to take it to the limit!

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  Incredible Driving Machine - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By wetdream - May 28 - 10:00 am

  An incredible driving machine with superb mechanics. Unfortunately the electronics are sadly dated (10yrs??). Absolutely love driving the vehicle. Most fun in an automobile in years. Just wish Mercedes had looked at Japanese and/or American makes to see where todays electronics are. I have spent more time studying the manual than for all the many previous autos I have owned,combined! Why does setting radio presets have to be complicated?? Come on Mercedes make it a perfect auto with updated electronics.

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  THIS CAR IS THE BEST EVER! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By nobizlikshobiz - May 28 - 10:00 am

  AWESOME! IN EVERY WAY!

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  Liza - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dreyfuss - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Love my 2004 C320 4Matic, handles great, style gets the eye from others.The little extras are cool, like the rear shade & cup holder. I love driving to work now, after 26 years its finally a pleasure! More models with Ash interior should be offered, they seem hard to come by and it is truly a womans color. Two areas to improve: 1- The A/C system is a little complicated/hard to finely adjust. 2- The CD player sound is awesome,and the steering wheel controls are great! However, the cartridge that holds the CDs in the glovebox is flimsy and hard to change CDs in & out of.

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  MERCEDES BENZ - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jordan daigle - May 28 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS A FUN TO DRIVE CAR EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS CAR IS GUEST GREAT

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  No Comment - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Harrell - May 28 - 10:00 am

  High class fun. Very sporty. Zippy

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  C CLASS - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By goodguykarl - May 28 - 10:00 am

  AFTER SALES SATISFACTION IS GREAT SUCH AS OFFERING FREE CAR WASH EVERY SATURDAY AT THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM. RIDING COMFORT IS SIMPLY AMAZING. I LOVE MY MERCEDES.

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  "BENZ BELIEVER" - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By MB922 - May 28 - 8:33 am

  I purchased a silver 2008 CLS 550 w/ AMG sport package. The vehicle is excellent and is worth every penny of its 81k sticker price. I was first skeptical buying a MB over a BMW, but this vehicle has made me a "Benz Believer". 382 HP, heated and cooled seats, IPOD integration, Navigation, bluetooth, AMG appearance package, remote trunk, moonroof, leather w/ wood grain, sirius radio w/ 6 disc CD keyless go and much more. For those who want more HP opt for the CLS 63 AMG which has 507HP, but a sticker of 100k. The 5.5L V8 has plenty of HP power and torque. The CLS 550 is MB engineering and performance at its best. The vehicle takes a back seat to no BMW and is exciting to drive.

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  ML 350 an excellent buy! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By CarGuy - May 26 - 11:53 am

  The 2006 ML350 is the best buy I have ever made. Its beautiful inside and out. Its SO much fun to drive, it rides like a car, not an SUV. It handles superb in the snow. A great buy for anyone. Believe me, if you buy this car, you will not regret it.

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  This SUV is just amazing - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By EDWARD - May 26 - 11:26 am

  I purchased the 2011 GLK 350 after several test drive comparisons with the competition from Europe and Japan. None of them impressed me nearly as much as the GLK 350. The ride seems actually smoother then our 2008 E350 and the handling is excellent. The engine power transfer and output is great and the handling is responsive and precise. The shift and instruments controls are well placed, simple and easy to use. I am amazed that Mercedes is offering this SUV at such a low price. In my opinion it is the best value in the SUV market not just in the premium SUV class. We just came back from a sightseeing trip and couldnt be happier with this SUV.