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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  Id Buy It Again - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By JA - March 5 - 4:20 pm

  This is my 1st Mercedes. I traded in a Toyota 4Runner for a 2005 Special Edition 350ML and driving has not been the same. Before, driving was just going from one location to another, and I could not wait to get out of the car. Now, I love being in my car and sitting in traffic no longer bothers me (to a point, of course). My Mercedes is like my home away from home. I love it and would recommend it to anyone. I would definitely buy it again if I had to do it all over. Perhaps Mercedes will have a hybrid SUV when it is time to buy my next vehicle.

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  Buy a Corvette or Porsche - 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By f.thomascain - March 2 - 12:36 pm

  Although I love the looks of the car both inside and out, it lacks many things. The handling and horsepower to weight ratio are disappointing. My Corvette Z06 will run circles around this car. Many of the controls are hard to use and antiquated. A true sport car should have full instrumentation, not idiot lights. It also has very high maintenance costs and small petty things that make it a regular at the service department. You would think Mercedes could afford to include maintenance costs for what you pay. They also lose half their value in just a few years, so that is another thing for some to consider. It is a pleasant enough Sunday cruiser but for the money it is very disappointing.

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  9 Month Update - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By DSanborn - March 2 - 10:03 am

  This is my 2nd review of this car. I just bought a 24 boat and Im using the ML320 to pull it. Im extremely pleased with the towing capacity of this somewhat small SUV. It pulls a 4600lb boat with no problem and I live on a large hill. The low gear is a great feature that works well. We have had no issues with the vehicle and it has been fantastic. I drove it 2200 miles across country without an issue. I noticed the battery comment in a previous review. Be careful - Germans dont like maintenance free batteries so you need to check the water levels in your cells or it will die with no warning. Im really impressed with the capabilities of this vehicle.

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  The best - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Bob Johnson - March 2 - 10:00 am

  This is my 2nd M.Benz. My first was a 1994-190-E. It is Mercedes entry level car at $30k in 94. I was very impressed with how heavy duty it was. I was SOLD on M.B. In 2000 I decided get a new C-230. Again this is Mercedes entry level car at $30k and it is packed with features that I never expected. This car is a great value for the $ (Same price in 2000 as it was in 1994) Go figure? I believe that M.B. sells these at a very low profit in order to get you hooked on M.B. And belive me they do!

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  Wach for Air Conditioning BAD BAD - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Monica Galli - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Air conditioning poor especcialy in the back,dealer and corporate office would not deal with the problem..Car made that way keep it or sell it.Bad Costumer service care, if car as a big problem.hanced four pannel of doors.Crack Plastic cover replaced,dashboard controll replace it,and three time main brain box for opereting window and doors for malfunction,replace it.

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  Ugh-first and last Mercedes for me.... - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gemini - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Love the power of my 19997 E420, but hate the fact that every little electronic part is failing: the ECU ($2000+), the little fan over the mirror ($200), the seat adjustment working backwards ($???), the ignition key cylinder ($200), the mirror control ($///), the stupid cup holder.... Going on sale this week...

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  Top of the class - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By taproot_crn - March 2 - 10:00 am

  This is one of the classiest muscle cars you can own. The acceleration comes at any speed and blows away others on the road.

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  very unique automobile - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By utahsaint - March 2 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car about 7 weeks ago and absolutely love this vehicle. Not many vehicles impress me since I work in the automobile collision industry- but this one does. Sold a Lexus Is300 for this vehicle and Im glad I did. Dont get me wrong, the lexus has a bit better quality control than the Benz but there is just something about German cars that make them so much more enjoyable to drive. This car feels as if it was chiseled out of stone. Fit and finish is typically German and everywhere I go, people look at me like with wonder, bewilderment and then envy for having such a nice vehicle at the ripe old age of 29.

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  A Moderately Good Vehicle - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Andy - March 1 - 8:56 am

  Bought used with 28k miles on it. Was all excited about getting this car, but excitement has worn off. Radio sounds good, but controls are poor. Knows nothing of folders on MP3 CDs. Too many button presses to get from Radio to CD to other. Defrost is annoying: full fan speed, highest temp, turns A/C on. Have to use MB phone, no BlueTooth. Engine is very good, powerful, economical, driving range is excellent (near 700 miles). Yet to see 40mpg like people claim, and I drive conservatively. Steering is soft/spongy. No Oil Dipstick?! Leather is good. Overall a good car, but I expected more from a company that charged $50k+ for this car when new.

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  1997 mercedees E320 - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By samcarnut - February 28 - 4:27 pm

  I was nervous purchasing my Mercedes at first because of idiot who dont really know what they are talking about I bought this car with 220k on it and it had a few issues when I bought it but it was such a great deal I bought it knowing it would be needing some repair as with any used vehicle with this many miles so I went in expecting to find the parts would be very expensive to my surprise not any more expensive than any domestic car out there I love this car it is easy to service and drives like a dream and is great on gas as well 30 mpg