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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  Oil pump problems - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Hans - November 27 - 3:13 pm

  Listen in the morning at start up for a whining noise. it is the oil Pump because very few mechanics change the front of the trans oil, there are two oil plug for the transmission. Mercedes will replace the oil pump even the vehicle is out of warranty because they know there is a problem . 06 and 07 E350 .

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  Either Ive had a "lemon" or people close eyes on MB problems - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By nyfo - November 27 - 1:42 am

  Purchased it pre-owned from a dealership under factory warranty with 39k miles on. Sold me on practicality of a sedan with a FAST ride possibility. Next day at 6 AM I was awakened by the fire crew banging at my door. My neighbors called them because of a large gas spill underneath my car. Got it towed, fixed, in a week - the same story. Fixed, then the check engine light went on. Upgraded software - tranny started "jump" shifting from the second gear to the first. Long story short, out of 6 months 3k mi of ownership I spent 8 weeks driving Hyundai offered by local MB dealership. Glad it was under warranty: I asked to see the repair bills and they summed in over 10K paid by MB over 6 months.

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  More fun than allowed - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By flblondie - November 26 - 9:03 am

  This is my second Benz. The sl is fun, fast and better mpg than the manufacturer states - if I dont feel the need to pass everyone on the road (hard to do!) Im getting consistently 24+ on the highway. Dont hesitate. Get one.

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  Mercedes really messed up! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By berncurio21 - November 26 - 8:13 am

  All throughout my life, my family has only owned MB cars. I grew up around them so I know about their great ride, fantastic style and reliability. My first car was a C230 and I got an SLK after that. I traded in for a 2002 S500 sports package and it was the biggest mistake. four days after I drove it out the lot, the air suspension dropped so the car was sitting on its tires and had to be towed and the repair alone cost $1400. After that repair, the brakes had to be replaced for another $900, two weeks after, my HID headlamps went out which costs another 500 bucks. In addition, the alternator started to act up at 70k miles and costs $900 to replace. The biggest disappointment!

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  a great compact SUV - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By zeit - November 25 - 3:00 am

  great classic exterior and interior look; solid handling at high speed and smooth ride in commuter traffic; and a superb sound system that make driving more than about the getting there.

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  Mercedes diesel - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By finn caspersen - November 23 - 8:53 pm

  The 320 diesel provides everything one could want except some of the high end options. Performance and reliability are great.

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  An excellent car! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Susannah - November 23 - 4:33 am

  Wow! Where do I begin? This car is one of the best, if not the best car around. It has everything. Its a lot of fun, incredibly safe, and virtually maintenance free. It also has very good gas mileage-around 30 mpg, not bad for a 6 cylinder, large size sedan. I highly recomment this car!

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  CDI-GL - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Michael - November 21 - 11:30 pm

  Excellent vehicle, needs air pressure to read actual pressure in all tires. Very expensive to maintain. Mercedes does unneccessary things on scheduled manintaince such as check caliper thickness at 10,000 miles. Navigation system is one of the worst in the business but not the cheapest. 19 inch tires and wheels are a joke because the tires cost 3 times as much as 18 or 20 inch. MB tech fake leather is very bad stuff. Blue jeans stain it and it does not breath like leather. Pulls very nice and the brake intregation system is superb but far to pricey.Garage door opener works only on occasion. Very weak signal. All in all it is a very nice vehicle but MB has made it far to expensive to maintain

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  Best Vehicle Around - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By benz99 - November 21 - 7:19 am

  Purchased this car at 92,000KM from a Doctor who bought the car brand new in November 1998 for $79,000(All options included). This car now has 176,000KM and outputs performance like no other vehicle could. I have looked at purchasing a brand new Mercedes in the past, and I must say that the current generation E Class is built more like the 1996-2002 E Class. Whatever you do, DO NOT buy a 2003-2009 E Class, they are an overall poor vehicle. If you want a luxury sedan that is built like a tank and is capable of going really fast, THIS IS YOUR CAR. When I purchase my 2012 E350, I will NOT be getting rid of my 1999 E320, its just that great.

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  Happy So Far - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Gary In Mpls - November 20 - 5:26 am

  I bought my C230 Sport off lease, with 19,700 miles on it. So far, I love this car! I have never owned a car that handles as well as the C230 does. There is almost none of the "leaning" effect during sharp higher speed turns. I am not sure if this is due to the suspension or the sport tires, but it is great fun to drive. Having driven the car through a Minnesota winter, I would definitely advise buying snow tires. I didnt and some of my snow day commutes were more exciting than I would have wanted. Other reviewers have indicated that snow tires will make difference. I plan to purchase snow tires next year.