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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  clk320 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jitterbug - December 12 - 2:00 am

  outstanding, solid inside and out

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  The car of the year - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By drljt - December 12 - 2:00 am

  This is absolutely the best car I have ever owned....The kudos I get from people who see it and give a thumbs up as they drive by is all too frequent. Best buy for the buck on the market today.

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  Best MB Ive owned - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By JT - December 10 - 3:56 pm

  I was skeptical when I traded my ML350 for the GLK350. But, the GLK is much easier to handle. Im not sure how reliable it will be. My ML was only 2 years old with only 6100 miles on it and ESP, Ignition, and Brakes were all problems. I would have bought a Honda, but they would not take the ML on trade. So, MB bought it back at Half the price I paid (29K, paid 59K), and that was only if I bought another MB. Im hoping for better luck with the GLK. At least this time I only spent 40K.

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  Lovin it!! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SCOTT - December 10 - 7:56 am

  Its 01/2010, my car has 83,000 miles on it and it performs / rides like new. Drove from Houston to Florida straight through at 80-100 mph and still got 25.5 mpg average for the trip...hard to beat! Repairs can get costly, but the performance is worth it! (Get a warranty if you can) Id recommend this car to any car enthusiast!

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  New MB owner view - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Jon Koskoff - December 9 - 12:13 pm

  This is my first MB. The 350 ML is truly a luxury car and I find the drive is clearly a cut above any other care I have owned.

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  Excellent - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By kaz - December 9 - 6:50 am

  Great solid performing SUV. Much sturdier than Lexus, however ride is choppy. Interior is very plush and comfortable

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  One word: Awesome!!!!!!! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Ty - December 8 - 4:53 pm

  I owned my GLK for a month now. I used to own a ML350 and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. My GLK drives like a sport/luxury sedan but roomy as a small SUV. Compared to my ML350 spends less gas. If you are a young professional who can not choose between and SUV and a Sports car GLK is the ticket. Make sure to get the Xenon packet and sports packet since they really set the car apart. Real head turner ;)

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  Great purchase, thrill to drive. - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Peter G. - December 8 - 3:23 pm

  Awesome car all in all. To me, a great value for the quality, style, and performance. Total thrill to drive, and it handles great. Better power than I expected. The electronics are a major part of the fun, the combination GPS, Sat radio, CD changer and single CD in dash, power tailgate all make the perfect ride quality all the more enjoyable.

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  Beware Mercedes doesnt have parts for this car - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By 2014e350 - December 7 - 11:45 am

  I purchased my brand new 2014 e350 in May 2013. Unfortunately someone rear ended it two weeks later. It has been over 2 months and Mercedes is unable to replace the rear bumper on my car. They cannot give me an answer to when they will have the part. I did not expect this from Mercedes. Beware people before you buy Mercedes. Are they going bankrupt?

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  ML320 Overengineered - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By pickaxpete - December 7 - 10:00 am

  Car had most unusual things go wrong. Replaced 2 Windshield washer containers, rear end and shocks, all audio failed on 700 mile trip, sunroof leaked, A/C leaked all over front passenger compartment.Rear seats difficult to work. Storage area had angled floor so luggage forced against rear door and cracked the door panel.