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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  New ML500 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Marvin - November 21 - 2:36 pm

  Its too early to judge performance, fuel economy or reliability. The biggest disappointment so far is the navigation system. The nav system in my 2005 Lexus SC430 is a Rolex compared to the Timex quality unit in the Mercedes. Also, there is no bluetooth option for cell phones.

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  Not so happy with my GL450 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By TEaves - November 20 - 8:40 am

  I havent been as satisfied with this Mercedes purchase. Ive had the car in the shop over 18 times since I bought it for various annoyances including the pump that raises the vehicle on difficult terrain, the hatch latch, the motion/obstacle sensor system, etc. The leather interior stains easily, even from picking up color from clothing. And the customer service at Mercedes Benz could care less so Ill be moving on to something else after I get a few kids off to college.

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  way overpriced - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By mercedes fanatic - November 20 - 12:23 am

  Bought the car for my mom, who liked the styling. Paid $117K. Later bought a 2009 S550 4Matic for myself. $102K. The sedan is miles better than the CL550 in comfort, ride and value. The CL is essentially a short wheel based SClass with a differt body. It should NOT cost more than the sedan; and resale values show this. The CL has the worst resale of any Mercedes. Dont get me wrong; the CL is a great car. But it should be priced $40k less.

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  After 80,000 miles - trouble - high cost - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bruce - November 14 - 2:13 am

  Expensive to extend its life - Cayalytic converter cracked, shock absorbers in rear needed replacement, coil went out , spark wires replaced, new transmission fluid required to extend life (MB says no, dealer says yes), New fuel filter,...etc. $3,500 + costs - too much

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  Disappointed - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By 50 Share - November 14 - 2:00 am

  This is my third MB and my biggest disappointment with the reliability/quality. The car has been in for warranty service approximately 8 times for electrical issues, new speedometer, key problems, radio reception, new back window, door lock problems, faulty fuel gauge, mirrors that readjust themselves, ticking noise in the front engine compartment and it now needs to go back for a rear windshade that wont turn off, squeaking shocks and strange noise from transmission. Its unfortunate that such a comfortable and beautifully styled car has all of these annoying problems. This could be my last MB.

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  Great Package - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Nathan - November 11 - 5:40 pm

  This new engine combined with the new 7- speed auto tranny provides brisk performance at any speed. The new tranny seem to be in the right gear at all times and pulls away without hesitation. Roomy and comfortable for long drives too. The layout of the speedo, tach and clock is a bit strange since you find yourself looking at the clock when you want the tach. There is also too much information in the middle part of the speedometer without any logical corollation. The NAV system is vastly improved and highly useful. This is our 7th Mercedes-Benz and so far so good.

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  2002 s430 /s500 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By dcsincc - November 11 - 12:46 pm

  I hear all the stories on this forum in regards to the s class breaking down. well I have two, a 2005 s500 and a 2002 s430. the 02 s430 has 220,000 miles on it and only thing I have replaced on it is the battery and it runs like a champ. and the 05 has 185k on it and only have had to replace the serpentine belt once. rick with dcsinc. euro repair

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  Why? - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By sicvic1 - November 9 - 8:34 pm

  Bought 2007 ML350 used, for asking price at CARY MB, 2.5 years later transmission issue. Seem to stump the mechanics, they replaced a part at 1100.00, next month same issue with transmission, now they want over $5000.00 to repair. Do not have any faith in MB or their product. Reading other writers reviews seems transmision issue should be a recall through MB.

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  CLK55 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By mbenza - November 7 - 9:40 am

  Initial electrical problems with the interior operating components. The local dealer was more then helpful, always providing a loaner even though I did not buy it from them. After several visits, the dealer seems to have exorcised the electrical gremlins and the car is an absolute joy to drive. I can average 23 MPG if I drive at regular speeds. However, it is difficult to do that as this car constantly asks for more spirited driving and rewards you with a well balanced and stunning performance and , even with my driving style, still returns an average of 18MPG! I LOVE THIS CAR! I have a 2003 Corvette Z06 and did not drive it all summer because I would always turn to the Mercedes for driving.

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  ML 2002 review - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By cdw - November 6 - 8:10 pm

  Great SUV. Goes absolutely anywhere. Never let me down. Only problem is quality of finish and quality of details. Some exterior trim finish is poor quality. Lovely, beefy SUV. Overall have loved this vehicle.