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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  Twelve year experience with ML320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Island - February 28 - 10:06 am

  I have just traded in my 1999 ML320. We had a rocky relationship but it did last 12 years so it was not all bad. Frankly I loved the basic design, drive and utility of the vehicle. Maintenance was very very expensive and reliability reminded me more of GM than Mercedes. However, it never failed to start except when the battery died every four or five years so it did serve as reliable transport. So many little and bigger things required maintenance however that it was simply not economical to own and would have been cheaper to walk away from four or five years ago than to keep on the road. I finally threw in the town when the transfer case started acting up and repair was over 5 grand

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  6 YEARS AND I HAVE ACHIEVED MY DREAM MACHINE - 1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By pres_bailey - February 27 - 9:26 am

  I bought mine a year ago, and in spite of my love hate relationship with the car, it is still my dream car. My 99 S500 is my second Mercedes, the first being a 420sel, has enough power to move like a F16 in a dog fight with a Boeing 747. She is truly a contender for the greatest car of all time, certainly a top 3 finisher, and even at 14 years old she can still turn heads.

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  Dissapointed - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By George - February 26 - 12:50 pm

  I am very dissapointed with Mercedes and will no longer ever look to buy one in the future. I purchased my 1997 E420 from a reputable local dealer in 2005 with 54,000 original miles.My vehicle only has 66,000 miles to date and I have been forced to make costle repairs the last six months in excess of $4,000. As the vehicle is only worth $7,000 I feel I have been cheated by chosing such an unreliable hunk of junk. If you are looking for reliability and affordability, this is not the car for you! I have had to replace my lifters,a/c blower,seat motor,ignition, and lastly the radiator cracked. This car is easy to fall in love with its looks but has proven to be venomnous to my bank account!

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  great - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Chrisdev123 - February 26 - 10:00 am

  This Car is amazing

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  Simply the best!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By John PAO - February 26 - 10:00 am

  Lets face it. There is no other small size car with so many features that drives like it. I test drove A4 AWD, G35 AWD, Jaguar AWD. After driving a 94 C280 for 10 years with no problems the C240AWD was the only car able to convince me that it was time for a new car.

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  German King of the roads - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Netraptor - February 26 - 10:00 am

  Greatest car I have ever bought I have always bought the car that fitted my budget this time I bought my MB. I have longed for it since I was 5. Superior handling, Acceleration when needed majestic looks and affordable price. I think you can not put all of theses in a car and then some. Suspension and breaking is marvelous. Sound system is absolutely NiteClub. Real head turner. No modifications eve needed. Go to you dealership and check it out yourself. You won`t regret

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  Fun - Attitude and Style - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Chris45971 - February 25 - 9:30 am

  Only 650 miles thus far. Have not pushed the car any but can tell that the performance is exceptional. Cant wait to pass the break-in and really work it out. An absolute pleasure to drive.

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  The BEST car ever! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bellad4 - February 24 - 7:53 am

  I absolutely love my 2007 ML320CDI. Beautiful design, highly reliable, 30MPG Hwy. Stable, fun, safe, with a dealer that has been THE BEST. Get with it U.S. market and buy diesels...no smell...low noise....and terrific overall. Drives wonderfully in the mountains or on flat roads...great handling for an SUV...The ONLY problem is the darn PHONE pairing.....MB is archaic when it comes to this and its a problem for a car of this cost...They need to get their technology package up to speed with the GM and the Japanese!.. (sorry, but true) Wonderful car with a weak spot.

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  Beautiful Machine - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Yoo Fool - February 24 - 2:00 am

  It was awesome. I loved every bit of it. The look is a diamond by itself. It is another world when I drive it. I take my car every where.

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  A great step forward - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Doctor J - February 24 - 12:53 am

  The 2006 model is a giant leap over the past models. (I have previously owned a 1998 ML 320 and a 2000 ML 430.) The level of comfort, luxury and attention to detail is far better in the 2006 vehicle. I finally feel like Im riding in a Mercedes!