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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  Even better than I had hoped - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Steve S. - September 24 - 10:36 am

  We have owned a turbodiesel in the past, so we thought we knew what we were getting. We were prepared to accept the trade off of "diesel" acceleration, noise and smell for the higher mileage, durability and understated luxury looks. Even after thoroughly test driving a number of differently equipped versions, and streching for the only totally loaded vehicle we could find, we feel like weve gotten the bargain of the century. This car is quick, powerful and easy to drive. Best of all, everyone does a double-take when they find out it runs on diesel. At first the controls were difficult, but after a short learning curve they have become second nature. We are extremely pleased.

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  Best Mercedes yet - 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By WD - September 24 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned BMW, Lexus, Jags, Porsche and this is my third Mercedes. This summer I sold my 2007 CLS 550. I loved the CLS with a few exceptions. The trunk was too small and I could never figure out how to change the clock (Im pretty computer savvy). The 2010 S 550 is very different. The trunk is huge ( a lot of room for a golf bag). The Command controller is the silver round nob you see in the photos on the console ( I call it the joy stick) and if you fiddle with it for about an hour you can work almost everything in this car. Changing the clock takes about 20 seconds. The S 550 is beautiful, functional and comfortable in every way. How could it be any better? I can not wait to see the new MB.

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  Perfect design - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By clkowner - September 23 - 3:00 am

  This is a wonderful car. It manages to perform like a sports car without the punishing ride found in so many high performance cars. Everything it does is effortless.

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  Wish The Fuel Tank Was Bigger!!! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By yellowabarth - September 22 - 11:12 am

  2008 Model, Got her used and does exactly what is says on the Tin... Sold a S500 because it was slower than I expected from standstill and this car is the reason to Live! I look for reasons to travel, Wish the Petrol Tank was bigger, then I would not need to stop.. No problems so far, is an American version in Dubai, and just got the Navigation working and its sweet. Seats, Amazing, Steering , Amazing. Paid a third of its new price and got 3 times the value of a normal car. Fuel Bad, but who cares, Tyres are expensive but who cares. 50,000 Kms passed and everyone will have been hard, but she takes it in her stride. Engine sound to die for. No real complaints, but read my improvements.

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  The best vehicle I have ever owned - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Prudence Dera - September 22 - 3:50 am

  This is the best vehicle I have driven. It is a smooth ride. I have a big family and there is enought room for all my four children. The interior is very stylish, I especially like the white stitching on the black leather interior. It is very comfortable.

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  nimble big car - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By W T - September 21 - 11:56 pm

  second MB 1st was a S.The E has much better handling,power.Super strong motor. JUST BOUGHT 2007 E 320. Feels slow heavy. Never had any problems other then false computer reads and expensive headlight replacements[xeon] Best car so far better then the 2007. never buy a V 6 again.

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  Buy One - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Wonk - September 21 - 4:16 am

  Beutifull styling, lots of torque so this car is fast - and Im getting 34 MPG. Excellent handling on narrow rual roads that we drive in TN; love the electronic manual shifting. Most dealers order without many options, but many features (i.e. navigation) can be added by the dealer.

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  Your Personal Adrenalin Pump - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Mpyles - September 20 - 10:26 pm

  I wish it were 800 pounds lighter and $30K cheaper. But mostly I wish this car had been on the market when I lived in the rolling hills of Connecticut instead of downtown Chicago. My biggest problem with it has been the urge to rise at 5:00 a.m. on weekends to find a clear roadway worthy of its capabilities. Cars (and Ive had a lot of them) just dont get any more fun than this one. A few -- very few -- beat it in handling or acceleration, but none beats it in cool quotient when you factor in the hard drop top which looks as good up as down. Porsches are Mozart. Bimmers are Mahler. This car is Beethovens 9th.

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  Car of My Dreams - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By dlmedeck - September 20 - 2:00 am

  This is the car of my dreams. Purchased it in September - it has been a blast to drive. Everything has worked great - no problems. The engineering is awesome!

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  Sophisticated Supercar - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Mike - September 19 - 7:46 am

  Unbeatable combination of luxury, performance and practicality. Beautiful but does not attract unwanted attention. Comfortable,quiet and smooth, totally reliable (so far). Easy access to local dealer service (nearest Ferrari, Aston, or Bentley dealer is 100 miles away). Was considering Porsche Turbo but dealer wanted me to make an appointment to drive owners used turbo, rather than the new one I wanted on the lot.