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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  Love this Car - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rod - October 12 - 9:33 am

  Have had our Benz for over 6 months now and still feel like we made a great choice. The power is more than what we need. The car feels strong on the road and is very quiet! It holds the road very well. The 4matic transmission allows us on steep inclines on ice and snow covered Denver streets to go right around cars spinning their wheels. The sound system is great and to sit back and watch a movie, in 5.1 sound, while waiting for our daughters soccer practice to end is like a home away from home.

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  Couldnt Be More Pleased - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Joel - October 12 - 8:03 am

  In the past I have owned multiple BMWs, Lexus, Accura, Infinities, and other Mercedes models and this is by far the best of the best. The car is extremely stylish, has incredible power, great handling and is just all around fun to drive. There are some sacrifices in rear head room for style but I gladly accept those sacrifices (not like I am back there anyway). This vehicle takes the stuffiness out of the larger luxury sedans and adds style and class that may not be for everyone. Suits me perfectly. The console controls are more intuitive than others (iDrive) and the packages offered combine a good set of features.

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  Close to Perfection...and Im not easy - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Not Easy to Please - October 11 - 5:36 am

  Ive owned other models of MBZ, several BMWs and some Jaguars. They have all been beautiful, but only one or two of the MBZs have had been as close to perfect as this car. It has the quality of a new Lexus and the stylishness of an old Jaguar. And Im not easy to please.

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  Stunning - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Robert - October 11 - 12:50 am

  This car is good all around. More then enough power to rival the 5M and B7 Alphina but not quite up to par with the pannera.

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  C300AWD, great in snow/ice. - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By p. f. - October 10 - 5:13 am

  I live up at Lake Tahoe, the C300 has performed flawlessly at altitude in snow, ice, hot weather, cold weather... Better ride and quieter than my 03 BMW XI 3-series. Solid handling and no maintenance issues to date.

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  Not so happy - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kathy Reichenbaum - October 10 - 2:33 am

  A serious problem with a loud banging noise- and feels like a flat tire- in shop for the second time- was told it was the 4-matic system this is a $70,000 car. Not fixed yet. I have 4,000 mi. on the car. Mercedes is not what it used to be.I own many cars. I feel the quality of this car is poor. I also feel that Mercedes is not being responsible enough for quality control.

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  Baby Benz is a Great Drive! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mikeb130 - October 8 - 1:43 am

  Traded my 2000 BMW 323ci for this car about 6 weeks ago. Have to say I am very impressed. From the moment you walk up to this car, it says, "I mean business." Outstanding exterior styling - mine is Mars Red and has the 18" AMG wheels. Cant tell you how many comments Ive gotten from total strangers at the gas pump or grocery store. Inside, things are well- organized and comfortable. Not sure why they put two control stalks on the left side of the steering wheel and none on the right, but you get used to it. Great manual tranny - shifter at least as precise as the Bimmers. Excellent stability in braking and cornering, good power. Overall great car!

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  Problems and more problems!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By PDE - October 7 - 10:00 am

  Love the styling, handling and performance, but Im not sure I made the right buying decision. I have had the car (with only 15000 miles) in for repairs four time so far. All the problems have been with the electronics systems going bad and having to be replaced. Thes have included... stability control (twice), alarm system (twice), sunroof (twice), rear sunshade, infrared keys, rain sensing intermittent wipers. I have owned the car for less than a year and a half! With a Yugo, I would expect this, but a Mercedes?

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  I love my R-Class - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Dorthy S. - October 7 - 12:23 am

  My previous car was an E350 MB. While I loved the handling and styling of the car, I chose the R-class for the room and seating capacity. However I was also surprised with the way the car handles and I really love the styling. I pretty much leave the rear seats down but I like knowing that they are available if needed. I love how long the cargo space is with the 2nd row laid down for extra room If I need to haul longer items. Right now with the great lease and retail programs they have on the R- class, it makes it a great value.

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  Good Car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jerry Sell - October 5 - 9:00 am

  Enjoy the car. Good handling, good gas mileage, good ride. Nice leather interior. Comfortable seats with power lumber suport