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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  Happy Owner! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mercedes Mom - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I purchased the C320 4 Dr. this car is awesome! I owned a BMW for many years, it was time to purchase another car...so I thought I would take a look at the Mercedes! What a great surprise, from the moment I sat in this car it fit like a glove. The quality of the car through and through. I have now owned my car for 4 months. I really enjoy getting in and just driving. I am very impressed. I recommend this car to anyone who wants a great quality vehicle, excellent proformance and a sporty feel, the price is not bad either.

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  E63 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bernies Car - November 19 - 1:23 am

  Very nice car. I had a E55 prior to this car and it was also very nice. I did like the twin turbo in my e55 but I like the seven speed transmission quite a bit better than my old car. Plenty of power but gas mileage is terrible. All in all a great car.

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  Attitude of MB Corp. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Autoboy - November 18 - 9:23 pm

  The overall quality of the MB 220 series has suffered from the lack of pride and attention to details that MB engineers had on previous marques. My experiences range from 4 leaking valves on the brand new car,off centered pulley, faulty command system, leaky air suspension, steering wheel that extends itself at some strange times. Most of the problems were fixed by the dealer and MB, however, they make you feel like that youre taking advantage of them. My god! Im just trying to get problems that should not have been there in the first place.

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  Electrical nightmare - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Michael Drake - November 18 - 4:50 am

  Car has been and electrical and mechanical nightmare. Dealer had car for almost 2 months trying to fix charging problem. Software upgrades and failures galore. The dealer has been fine, but the overall quaility is terrible. I have owned Mercedes for over 20 years, and this thing is a lemon.

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  Its soooo sweet - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Mercedes Loyalist - November 18 - 3:13 am

  Ive only had my CLS500 about a month. It really does turn heads! I have people signal me to roll down my window at intersections just to tell me what a beauty the car is. Traded in a E320 after 2-years and have never been happier with my decision. This car is awesome.

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  Love my car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By gigi farrell - November 17 - 8:33 pm

  I love everything about this car ...except the location of the cup holder....that is just in the wrong place. But everything else is so great I can forgivr that..The pick up is fantastic, it is comfortable. It just feels good....and the attention it recieves doesnt hurt either.

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  SL600 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Bernie Doran - November 17 - 12:46 pm

  This is a great car and my second SL, the other is an 1994 SL500 and it is also a great car. the difference in eleven years is astounding. the 05 has every available option except heated steering wheel, it was a CA car. amazed at the MPG on freeway, went to Cleveland a week ago, about 100 mi with 90 on I71, the goofy thing indicated 24.6 MPG!! used the distronic, I thought that would be joke, nope, it is great touched the brake/throttle once in 90 freeway miles. speed was set at 70(this is Ohio)we have a unique way of collecting road tax here. The push in the seat is addictive, another 100 hp would not make much difference, would be interesting to see another 400 hp.

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  My S500 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Vince Le - November 16 - 5:13 am

  This is by far the best built and best luxury car I have ever owned. I have just about driven and owned almost every car under $100,000 for the past 6 years. This car is by far the most reliable and the best car I have ever own.

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  Best SL I Have Ever Owned - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Bob Collins - November 14 - 10:00 am

  This is my third SL roadster and is absolutely the finest. It is a 2002 SL500 Special Limited Edition "Silver Arrow" with special silver ultra-metalic paint,special six spoke 18-inch alloy wheels and an interior with two-tone silver and black NAPA leather with black birds eye maple wood trim. With this interior you know you are sitting in the most exquisite roadster in the world. Best of all the SL performance is flawless. When this car is delivered to you it is perfection. The 5.0-liter V8 is smooth and powerful. I had the opportunity to order a 2003 SL500 instead of buying my 2002, but I still love my Silver Arrow.

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  I love this car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By maddriver - November 14 - 10:00 am

  My car has the optional Sport Package which, although making it ride a little stiffer than other MBs, makes it handle alot like the BMW 330XI which I also considered. After comparing the two, I chose the MB, but it was close. I dont regret the choice. This car is great on the road, on trips, in the snow (mine is 4matic), and just going to the corner! No problems.