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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  Mercedes scored another MB with me... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Will - January 23 - 5:46 am

  I have to say my 3rd Mercedes and the best of all. Im loving this car more every day, it has everything you could want from a luxury car and more. It safe, really safe, the brakes are "touchy" but emergency are very powerful, the 8 air bags, the seat belts tight in braking. Ok performance is good but could be better but for me is precise because I live in a mountanies island (Puerto Rico, it climbs hill without a problem, fuel economy is very good, ive known to get 450 miles on a tank and 32.0 mpg. Its comfortable, and stable ( if you buy sport package even better) it takes corners smothly. I just know I love going on long trips on the car, no pain anywhere, super comfy, buy it and you will like it

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  A perfect mix of sport and luxury - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Luxury and Sport - January 19 - 6:00 pm

  This car is awesome! The handling is superb. The Kompressor engine makes the four cylinder engine feel like six. The interior design is very attractive and the exterior design is an attention grabber. This is the first Mercedes I have owned and it wont be the last. The sound system is impressive and Mercedes uses high quality materials in its interior. Dont miss an opportunity to test drive this car. Youll find that you are getting a lot of bang for your buck.

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  Kudos to Mercedes CLK class - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Roger Lund - January 19 - 1:50 am

  My fifth Mercedes. This is the best. I have had more compliments on this car than any of the previous 50 or more that I have owned. It is the most confortable car to drive that I ever owned. The only complant that I have is the lack of Blue Tooth phone capabilities. The cost of adding the Mercedes equipment is rediculous. I will wait for the appropriately priced after market to become available.

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  Covertible Perfection - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By SL Driven - January 19 - 1:00 am

  This is the best and last of the "true" Mercedes Benz. Next model will have "Daimler-Chrysler" on the mfgrs plate. This cars got all the speed you would want, and with the sport pkg, its handling limits are high enough to go play on mountain roads. Add a sweet sound system and armour like but comfy seats, and youve got the best two seat transportation available.

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  102,000 Miles & still going strong - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By alapo51318 - January 17 - 10:00 am

  I love it. Bought it new in May of 1998 and have had no problems outside of normal wear. Runs great, looks great, rides great! This ML320 was a steal back in 98. Best vehicle I have ever owned in forty years of driving.

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  clk 320 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By dggssmn - January 17 - 10:00 am

  great fun to drive, great fun to look at. enjoy everything about this car. have had 1 minor problem that the dealership is more than cooperative on.

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  Only The Best, Will Do! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By aflame - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Why didnt I drive this car before? My wife took our first test drive, riding in the back seat. Her opinion, "I have never paid much attention to cars, before. This is the only car I have ever really wanted!" If you drive this car, you won’t be able to enjoy any other automobile. You can have the S500, and other models. Our S430 frequently gets over 29 mpg, on trips, and 22-25 in city driving. Specifically, I got 29.4 mpg, driving from Memphis to Cincinnati. I have driven my 1990 Miata over 70,000 miles; yes, I still have it; and, yes, Ill keep it till I die; however, the S Class takes the same turns, almost as fast as the Miata; and, it doesnt lean as much.

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  Goodbye Audi - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Dan - January 15 - 10:00 am

  I had been driving an Audi a8l (2007) and a Ford escape hybrid (2008) I wanted to consolidate to 1 vehicle--it needed to be an upscale, fuel efficient, and fairly large SUV (I haave 3 dogs and no way were they getting into the Audi). I found that in 3 years my Audi had taken a $58,000 depreciation hit! Still I liked the q7 tdi, and had never owned a Mercedes--I was so put out by Audi, that I went across the street and fell in love with the gl 350 bluetec. Its sumptuous and amazingly comfortable interior, quiet, quiet ride, beautiful rear visibility and increased cargo over the q7 sold me. I love this car! I give it a thumbs up and [violative content deleted] to Audi!

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  Very pleased buying CPO - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By coadster - January 15 - 10:00 am

  Purchased recently CPO and must say - it probably was a real bargain. Car is exactly like brand new...fully covered by excellent warranty and saved a bundle by purchasing this way. Many are coming off leases and, after doing some serious research, finding the exact right one paid off!

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  Best car ever, and Ive had many: - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Schnooky Glick - January 15 - 10:00 am

  I have had many convertibles and sports cars in my 67 years - and this is the best yet. Wonderful ride, plenty more acceleration that I really need, and with the top up or down, it feels as if everyone else is looking my way. Especially when the drivers pull along side on I-95, and fall in behind me.