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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  Great Truck-Espcly compared to the X5 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Ustick - January 18 - 10:00 am

  Finally got rid of my 2002 X5 Bimmer. What a piece of South Carolina-built crap. (I traded it in - didnt have the heart to stick someone else with it.) If it wasnt a recall that had me back at the BMW dealers service department, it was something else. What happened to you BMW? You need HELP...NOW, especially after learning you have a secret letter out to your dealers authorizing them to buy back the newly-released 7 series cars from all the customers having problems. The Benz is magnificent so far - comfort, convenience, and great performance. Love the V-8. Wow, what power.

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  Hot stuff - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By anna jo julian - January 18 - 10:00 am

  i really like this car a lot.It runs very well and it has great features.

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  Sleeper economy car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By td - January 18 - 6:13 am

  This car is a blast to drive and gets great fuel mileage. Average driving I get around 24.5 mpg back and forth to work (some city and some hwy) and during road trips I have gotten as high as 36 mpg. This blows away my old Taurus and this one is actually fun to drive and fun to be seen in! Bought mine used with 36k and now have 52k on it. At the last service had to have the drivers door switch panel replaced because the truck switch rattled in tune with the music (had to fight a little to get covered under warr), dealer also replaced center speaker and then replaced the cylinder head due to excessive carbon, all under warranty. Love the car and love the dealer until I see the cashier!

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  Best Car ever - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Glenn - January 17 - 12:20 pm

  I purchased my CLK 350 one year ago and waited until now to see how it performed this past year, and it was great best car I have ever owned, and I have owned over 15 in the last 30 years. The ride is better than our Infiniti I35 much more quiet than the Lexes and BMW that I test drove. Everyone who rides along says this is a quiet car with lots of power. The interior fit and finish is great, the transmission shifts smoothly and the stability control are great. The ipod intergreation is what everyone should get. MB is the best every made.

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  The best full size SUV on the market - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Steve - January 16 - 4:46 pm

  Ive only had my vehicle for about a week and I can say with confidence that this is the best luxury full size SUV on the market. Ive driven and researched all other full size SUVs and they dont even compare! This vehicle is quiet, comfortable, smooth as silk. "Quiet as a mouse" diesel engine and transmission, and drop dead good looks. I keep driving around and never see the fuel gauge move as this vehicle with the diesel gets incredible mileage. Dont walk, run to your nearest dealer and order one as they are getting tougher to find due to the great demand.

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  Exellent vehicle - 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Bob Whalen - January 16 - 3:36 pm

  This car seems like it was pulled straight out of the autobahn, fast but comfortable. Test drove the 7 series, Maserati Quaduellete, and Porsche Pannera, none of which could nearly compare. I commute between Miami and Tampa every day, and this car is simply unbelievable. Beware though- Sometimes I forget in a American highway and not in the autobahn and find myself doing 130 something in a 75 zone. The rides THAT good.

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  Best bet for such a low price tag - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By theMBdriver - January 15 - 10:13 pm

  Great car for a lower end MB. Very stable and powerful, the supercharger is a nice touch. Got it nearly fully loaded (minus navigation and bi-xenon lights). Still, not bad for my first car. Great handling, very responsive.

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  Strong, Confident, and Safe Automobile - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mercedes Customer - January 15 - 10:00 am

  I ambsolutely love my 2003 Mercedes- Benz E-320. Its fun with an amazing amount reliability and poise. With it confident stride and control, it most definatley deserves at the least a test-drive.

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  E 500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Brian - January 14 - 10:10 pm

  This is my 3rd E Class. I bought this car used with 21000 miles. It now has 25000 miles and the tires are completely shot. Car is too heavy for tires. I would advise everybody to not upgrade with the Continentals installed at factory. Possibly go for Michelin Pilots. Car consisently drifts to the right. Radio, GPS sometimes freezes. Sometimes engine very noisy but cannot hear inside car.Tend to hit the cruise control stalk by mistake sometimes. Car ejects gas hose aggressively when full resulting in spillage, paint damage, etc. I chose to forgive all of these flaws because of the superb transmission and tremedous power. Handling in the sport mode is awesome for a car of this size. Get the extended warranty.

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  I expect better - 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By rbmain - January 14 - 8:13 am

  If you returned to your car in the hardware stores parking lot to find the center rear stop light lens from the trunk lid laying on the ground, youd think a vandal tried to pop it to mess with the door lock. Right? Nope, they just fall off, and the Dealer has seen lots like that. Now the little flap wing that comes out from the left front trunk lid edge when the retractable hardtop is put down just droops and messes up the top raising and lowering cycles. You have to press it back into position to get top function.