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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  The Machine - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Stan - May 25 - 11:10 pm

  This is the best "sedan" on the market for less than 60K. After a test drive in the S4, I was sold. The C55 is worth the extra $8K. The visability in the S4 is terrible and the Audi "V8" feels and sounds more like a turbocharged V6. I looked at the CTS- V and didnt bother to test drive it. The interior looked like crap. Caddy needs to get on board if they plan to sell cars in that price range. The C55 is a machine and handles like a car should. I test drove a CL65 ($235K)and the car did not make the driver feel that you were in control. The C55 is the only Mercedes-Benz that I have driven that felt like a BMW. I cannot understand why one would buy an E320 or E500 instead of a C55.

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  The Big Boy Coupe - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Dr. james Madson - May 25 - 2:00 am

  My 2003 CL600 is a rocket. I know many will say the CL55 may be a better car, but one was not available at my dealership so i took the V12 600. The torque is scary. Even with the ESP on the car breaks loose without hardly any pressure on the gas pedal. The power is so prevelant that even after releasng your foot from the accelerator the car still forges forward from built up power. Now this may seem like a bad thing but you get used to it and it is a rush. I drove an SL55 and it too was fast but did not seem to have the overall power of the CL600. The torque is just under 600 lb ft on the 600. An amazing car driving experience.

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  ML320 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By PH - May 25 - 2:00 am

  This is my first Mercedes and wont be the last. Shortly after buying it my wife and kids were T-boned by another driver on my daughters passanger door. The other vehicle had to be towed away and the police told us that any other vehicle would have resulted in injury to my daughter. In the ML she was shook up but not injured as there was no intrussion to the passanger cabin dispite significant damage to the door. My wife was able to drive away. Repair was to replace the rear passanger door no damage to frame. This impressed me as to this vehicles safety.

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  A fun car to drive - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Prolongo - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I dont think it is particularly "flashy" from the outside but it just takes a quick drive to find out just how much fun this car is. Although it takes premium gas, my overall after 6500 miles per the cars computer is 24.5 miles per gallon. On a recent trip I averaged 30 mpg! A added bonus I didnt expect. The only down side of this car is the seats are un- comfortable and the adjustments are few unless you have some special added package that I dont have. Get rid of the heated seats and put in adjustments to make it more comfortable. That is my opinion.

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  C230 Kompressor - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rjwjr - May 25 - 2:00 am

  The only problems to date have involved error messages regarding the traction control/ESP. The dealer claimed to have fixed the problem with a new cable, but they have returned. Beyond that the car is an absolute joy to drive, The torque from the engine is pletiful and the gas mileage (with 4 adults) has been over 32 mpg on the highway.

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  Love my E500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By West LA Guy - May 25 - 2:00 am

  Overall, I love this car, beautiful looks (a real head turner), great peroformance, very sporty and stylish (I have the soprt pckg). Have had 2 mechanical problems (audio system, rear suspension/bladder) resulting in 8 days at the dealer, hope there are no more.

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  Great little Benz - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By boise61 - May 22 - 8:37 pm

  Bought this C300 in Oct 11 and got a fair deal as it was the end of the year. Received 10% disc off MSRP which is good as in our area the dealer has little competition. This is our 7th Merc. and I have to say for the money it is a quality Benz. It is the smallest we have had so you do need to lower expectations. It is not a S Class. From the two front seats it has a smooth ride and good performance. The fit and trim are outstanding and the car is quiet. The only thing that I have found that maybe a problem is that if you have more than two people to cart around the folks in the back need to be short as the head room and leg room are very tight if the front seats are set far to the rear.

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  95 S420 my dream come true - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By S420 ON 20$ - May 21 - 6:06 pm

  I just bought a 95 s420 for real cheap. I was gonna buy a 96 e320 but saw & test drove it & fell in love with it ! i brought it home & changed tranny fluids & added 2 qt of LUCAS OIL it made such a difference! then i got rid of the stock intake system & replaced it with a cold air intake filter directly on the intake throttle feel hear that & LET THAT engine BREATH

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  Excellent & Fun - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Charles - May 20 - 3:36 pm

  I have owned numerous convertibles. This one is no sports car but is a superb touring open car. It is fast, fun, comfortable, and a joy to ride in the hill country of Texas. It is not great on snow or ice. Mine is a silver Arrow and is exceptional. It weighs as much as my Suburban but is a lot more fun to drive. If you can find one get it and enjoy the ride

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  Mercedez-Benz ML 320 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Mike Bowling - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I have thouroughly enjoyed my ML 320. I bought it used, which can be a scary thing, but have never had a problem with it. Handles very well and is fun to drive.