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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  A sophisticated 1969 GTO - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mercedesmaven - January 5 - 5:40 am

  Recently bought the Mercedes E550 Coupe. If you miss the open air feel of the a 60s muscle car coupe with no B pillar and gobs of horsepower and torque, then seriously consider this car. In fact, it is the only mid sized coupe with no B pillar and a big V8 engine currently available. Think a 1969 Pontiac GTO built by Mercedes; you would actually pay twice as much for a restored like new condition GTO and get half the car. I know, I owned one, and this car puts most any muscle car to shame including the new comparably priced Shelby Mustang; I had one if them too. 0-60 in 4.9 seconds, conservatively rated at 402 HP and 443 ft/lbs of torque, out handles any 60s muscle car, >20 mpg city/hwy.

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  Best-made car Ive ever owned - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tim Fleener - January 1 - 11:13 am

  I bought my E430 Sport used after owning several VWs, since I have all but given up on American cars from the likes of GM, Ford, and Dodge. I really liked the German-made VWs, so I felt comfortable buying another German car, and Mercedes is a very prestigious brand. Let me just say that I have not been disappointed at all! My E430 purrs like a mountain lion, and is rock solid at speed. The car really comes alive at speeds above 90 mph. I love getting on an open stretch of road and opening it up around 80-85 mph. The rush from there on up to the top speed is exhilirating! Fuel mileage has also been a pleasant surprise. Fuel economy has averaged around 25 mpg with 50/50 highway-city driving.

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  Fun but whats up with the sound? - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SUPERLAURA - January 1 - 10:00 am

  I really love my first Benz. It has a ton of power and great fuel efficiency. I absolutely love the sunroof; it feels like the whole world is open and you dont have to pay all the extra costs of a true convertible. I wish more of them came to the dealer with programable seats though. Leather is a must being that the cloth looks like it came straight from K mart. The key is fun and functional. My only big complaint is the stereo system. I used to drive a toyota echo, a super cheap car and the stereo system in there was ten times crisper and sweeter than this, and from what I hear the Bose is even worse.

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  Fun to drive and 30 mpg- no regrets! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bigbeau - January 1 - 10:00 am

  I waited a year to write this to be sure it would be valid. This car has been a kick! Ive got a 2300cc with the 6 speed, and have a blast driving it over the local mountain roads. I average 23 mpg city and over 30 on the highway - I cant imagine having this much fun and getting this mileage as well. It handles and accelerates like a pro (Ive got the "wheel" package) and the sunroof is close enough to a convertible for me. Itll be a tough act to follow.

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  The Next Generation E-Class - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Birds34 - January 1 - 10:00 am

  After owning a 1997 E-Class and enjoying it for many years I was impressed with the new design of the new E class . The new E class is more like driving a sedan rather than a sports car, however it still has the operation feel of a sports car as my e- 500 is the Sport model with a v8. It is like having a sedan and sports car all wraped into one package.

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  Best Value in Sport Sedan - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BlackWithSunroofPkg - December 31 - 10:46 pm

  I drove the BMW 325i, Lexus IS300, Saab 9-3 Arc, & Acura TSX, before buying the C230K. BMW was great at everything, but adding 17" wheels and sport pkg made it more than the MB, which came standard with 17" wheels & sport susp. Also, could get lthr-faced seats w/o high- cost lthr pkg. Added sunroof pkg which gets you the cool power rear sunshade and rain-sensing wipers. Lexus had smaller backseats and trunk, Saab had low resale value & turbo lag & fr wh drive. TSX is value leader, but fr wh drive hurt handling & interior too much like an Accord (which it is). C230 is very quick, point-&-shoot handling, AWESOME exterior styling w/AMG trim, incredible stopping power, fabulous gas mileage-32hwy!

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  Love this R350 4matic - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By ITboater - December 29 - 6:13 am

  Bought this R350 with 49k miles, mid-range options. Had 4 MBs before, but stayed away during the bad period of 96-05. Hope it is reasonably durable. My wife is ecstatic with this car! She is 411 and can fit behind the wheel in comfort, as can I at 510. My 92YOA age father thinks its great. I love how it drives. It is sneaky fast. No car could go down my rough road driving loop as fast, but on freeway it flies with no effort at all. When you want to hurry the 7 speed trans override buttons are great to hold a gear or downshift. Nice touch is the gear stalk...cool. Mileage vg so far, 15-17 city, 23-23.5 freeway at 75, 25-25.5 side roads. Very quiet, per my sound level meter.

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  Mostly Good - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By slg - December 29 - 3:46 am

  This is my second MB. Very pleased w/first and mostly pleased with this one (E320, 2000, sedan). The problems are the automatic door locks (I have had them fixed several times only for them to disconnect or something again; second - the cassette player - fixed once, worked a short while - broke again. Other than that pleased - however, I drive it very infrequently.

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  97 E320 - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Peter - December 28 - 12:40 am

  Great car so far. Powerful inline 6 that gets high 20s mpg on highway. No problems yet

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  My second new turbo diesel - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ron T - December 27 - 8:40 pm

  My previous E-300 (99) was driven 87000 relatively perfect except for a ew electrical glitches and bad window carriage interior hardware. This CDI model gets better fuel mileage, is quieter and is more comfortable. All over Id rate it a 9.8. I wish it had 4- matic, but I was told that it was not available in the CDI model. The worse single feature is the radio/cd which cant hold a candle to the system in my 1999 model. Kardon vs Bose...