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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  Solid, Well Built German Cruiser - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By y2kimmel - June 10 - 3:23 pm

  I have owned my E420 for 1.5 years now, and love it. I previously owned 2 BMWs, and consider the build quality of the Mercedes to be superior. No squeaks or rattles on a 10 years old car! The engine is turbine-smooth, the suspension is silky, and fuel economy is better than many V6s. This is a car that I could see myself driving for another 100,000 miles.

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  Fabulous vehicle - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Elyse Ettinger - June 8 - 11:30 pm

  This car is a terrific alternative to the E class wagon I had previously. The interior space could not be better designed or equipped. The ride is similiar to the S class, but the vehicle design is much better for families. My only suggested improvement is the mileage needs to be improved, but otherwise, absolutely no complaints. I have gotten numerous compliments on the exterior design in the few weeks I have had it. Kids are loving the dual screen DVD players, no arguing who gets to pick the movie! The sun roof just goes on and on-very nice!

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  Sporty and Luxury together - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mid Life Christmas - June 8 - 10:00 am

  So far, so good. I have most all of the available options. I am not disappointed. The car is fun to drive, excellent handling with luxurious interior.

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  w203 C350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jk062602kj - June 7 - 7:20 am

  All I can say is this car is amazing. Very fast car and very smooth shifting (7G-Tronic Tranny). This car is a sleeper (dont expect it to be that fast). The sport model came in 7 speed auto and 6 speed manual. The car is able to beat and keep up with very fast cars. Beat - (G35 Sedan, G35 Coupe, 328, 330, ML500, A4). Very fun to drive and pretty rare.

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  200 SL500 Silver Arrow - last handbuilt - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By rsab - June 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for almost one year and with 5K miles, not a single problem. From what I understand this is one of the last mostly hand-assembled models of its class. I like the new 2003 style, but my 2002 Silver Arrow is a classic car and I love it.

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  Love my car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bettyrella - June 6 - 10:00 am

  This is the NICEST auto I have ever owned. I have had excellent reliability and have put nearly 40000mi on it in 2 years. I recomend it to everyone I know and I always get a WOW when I open the sky view roof. You cant imagine how awesome an 8 foot sunroof is, or as my husband says "a convertable SUV". I got rear-ended in my ML and the Honda Accord that hit me was totaled at 50mph, and all I had was a scratch...no joke, on my bumper. The other driver said it felt like he hit a brick wall!!! Anyway enjoy the luxury the safety RELIABILITY and pure joy of driving this car, you will never want another!!

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  Best Cabriolet on the Planet! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By A.K. - June 6 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. I only paid about 2000 in options, because almost everything is standard! It actually fitted a 6 guy in the back! Its safety rating is great, too! It never fails on me and its just the kind of cabriolet I like!

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  TestedBMW&Lexus - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By TestedBMW&Lexus - June 6 - 10:00 am

  Made a deposit on BMW 745Li over one year ago. When the new BMW came out I was very impressed with acceleration, handling, and braking, but interior weirdness and exterior styling turned me off so that I passed on my custom ordered car when it arrived. Ive bought four BMWs in the past. Tried Lexus and Mercedes. Bought the Mercedes and love it so far. BMW could have had a great, no wonderful, car but somone overdosed on caffeine when they designed the exterior and the truly crazy overengineered controls. Delighted with the Mercedes.

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  Solid German tank; wont let you down - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By FJ - June 6 - 7:56 am

  What a great car. My first E-class, an E430, was totaled, and the same dealership got me into an E320 4Matic. Excellent ride; a joy to do some DIY work to, easy to work on and find OEM parts online, and a great community of owners at various sites, including benzworld dot org. Ive had Lexus and I just cant get over how much better the German ride is and how well Mercedes makes their vehicles. A completely different driving experience than even BMW and Audi, both brands I love as well. But for now, given the quality, fit and finish of these vehicles, Im glad to see Benz took a step in the right direction with the W212 chassis (2010- up) and Ill be buying a used W212 wagon next!

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  SL500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Harlan Cohen - June 2 - 10:00 am

  Excellent car in everyway. I have been driving Sls since 1975 and this surpasses them all by a lot. It is a great looking car and handles just as well.Only thing missing is a sunglass holder.