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 ONE" - 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Petruhin - March 12 - 10:00 am

  This is the car! this in my mind was the best car ever made by mercedez! its sporty, its luxury and well its gorgeous! the car drives great! the suspention is perfectly regulated for higway driving and city traffic!

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  Hot - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Confederato - March 12 - 10:00 am

  This is the car that Mercedes should build.

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  What an amazing car!!!! - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By porthmadog - March 10 - 2:57 am

  I love this car. I bought my E320 in Arizona 2 years ago. I originally only wanted to drive a manual car, however in trying to be objective in my car selection, I test drove an E320. Immediatly I loved it. Aside from one minor mishap with a transmission hose that was improperly put on during a flush (bad garage), I have had not a single issue. I even enjoyed my husband changing the over engineered 12 spark plugs, saving me over 1000 dollars. I currently have 111600 miles on the clock and am looking forward to having my E320 for many years to come. I will never buy another car unless it is a Mercedes.

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  Fantastic purchase! - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mark g. - March 9 - 11:50 pm

  Excellent quality and an exciting driving experience. I dont doubt the Audi A4 or BMW 328i may have superior performance numbers, however Mercedes, as always, provides the best all around comfort and driving experience. This is an exciting European sports sedan with plenty of low end grunt and top end power. Handling is fun, predictable and safe. I purchased this car in 2015 as a CPO with 47K mi for $22K. It came with a bumper to bumper 17 month warranty - still in it for 2 more months. I recently took to dealer with a check engine light and they updated all software. One of the updates was a new transmission software update. Smoother transmission now and quicker shifts. I do admit the transmission sport performance was a weak point - not terrible - off the assembly line.

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  On the one - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By howj1 - March 9 - 11:13 pm

  I did a lot of shopping around before I chose the E-class Mercedes. I dont feel that I could have found a better car for me. Its classy, but yet sporty at the same time. The sleek lines in its design, make the E-class a true eye catcher. Im truly happy.

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  One Bad Benz - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By FMRacer - March 9 - 9:16 pm

  I love this car! As a (former?) Porschephile I can appreciate the raw power and the usual German quality this car provides. Its a keeper. Sometimes the transmission seems to have a mind of its own as I find myself in manual mode at the strangest times. Maybe Im hitting the paddle and not realizing it? The power is awesome, the low profile tires make it really handle well and the exterior is mundane enough as to not draw attention from the cops. What a deal!

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  Fun to Drive - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Terryjo - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I looked at the BMW 325,Acura TL and Volvo S60 2.4T/R models before choosing the Mercedes. Ive never regretted it. Ive been driving quite a bit in the past month and it is so fun to drive and comfortable on the driver. I used to own a BMW but Im not sure if Ill go back. Im waiting to see if the Mercedes has the long term quality that I would expect.

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  Makes me want to get up to go to work - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Wisconsin - March 7 - 6:33 pm

  After two months, finally some bad weather for the 4 matic which was sure footed in heavy rain. The automatic winshield wipers are pretty cool. Although a smaller sedan, its interior does not seem small even when my wife and two teens go along. The field of view, steering wheel controls, mirror placement, overall performance, and ride make this the best vehicle Ive ever owned.

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  Last of the good Benzes - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Doug Hall - March 6 - 7:33 am

  I have owned about 10 mercedes, this 1992-1999 S Class is among the last of the truly good ones. Bought my 1997 used in 2000, pure joy. Love driving it, 23 mpg in mixed driving, gets lots of compliments at 8 years and 105000 miles. Strangers ask if I want to sell it. Black/black leather, Looks positively new, very reliable overall. These are very complex cars, buy one from a dealer with all records and the "Starmark" extended warranty, buy extra coverage to 36 months/100000 total miles. 1997-1999 are the best years, 5 speed auto, updated wheels/climate control/stereo, 1992- 1996 wiring harness and head gasket problems corrected.

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  Fun Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steve - March 5 - 12:56 pm

  This car is very smooth. I dont tend to use the car as hard as I did my 540 with a stick but the power and performance is there. Certainly it has a stiff suspension but I have found it civilized. Interior is confortable and functional. I love some of the details like contrasting stitching and suade details on the seats. Basically, if you want a really civilized car that can has heavy duty performance underneath the surface this is a great choice.