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 should be ashamed of their internal build quality - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By daiku - September 28 - 8:59 pm

  First, the engine, and ride have been great, but the internal comfort features on this $60K have been terrible. 4 front cup holders replaced @$80 each Keyless go doors dont work and need repair and redesign Replaced thee rear DOOR latch on the right passenger side so my daughter could get out of the vehicle $685!. Rear sunscreen not functioning (MB are notorious for this problem, yet the still dont have a better design from Bosch). First and Last MB. I bought the car for my wife who always wanted one, but never again. Toyotas are much bettter built. As a person of German heritage, I am ashamed at this vehicle! Embarrassment to not stand behind these problems out of warranty

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  The S class of SUVs - 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By nowake - September 28 - 4:41 pm

  Just took delivery of my wifes GL 450 and I am blown away by how quiet, solid and comforting this vehicle is. It really rivals the S class. When I test drove a lesser equipped vehicle I liked how well the vehicle performed. I loaded this vehicle out and I am not sure why but the vehicle is even nicer than I remember. Acceleration is adequate, braking is superb and the ride is awesome. Looked at all the competing models but kept coming back to Mercedes. The price does escalate as you add options as it does with others. If you are in the market for an SUV you owe it to yourself to at least give the GL some consideration.

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  ML500 Review - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Howard Schutter - September 28 - 2:13 pm

  Surprisingly good build quality considering all of the negative press

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  Quiet and Smooth - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Finman - September 28 - 12:30 pm

  Overall a great car if smooth, quiet, and solid are what one is looking for. Not sporty, but high-quality luxury. Very good acceleration if needed from a stop although requires a long pedal to really make it move. Looking better and better as this generation evolves. Very good stock automotive HK sound system. Absolute pleasure to drive, wish I had gotten a 15k-18k lease instead of 12k. Custom- ordered, fully loaded except panoramic sunroof which is not needed in Arizona, besides the standard sunroof is pretty big!

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  Amazing Benz! - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By John Henry AIA - September 28 - 9:23 am

  A great car for a big person. Seating is the best in its class. Performance is there when you want it. Whisper quiet, soaks the road up. Best on the highway but slow cruises catch attention. Can be a bit wallowy but shock adjustment allows tighter handling. A very heavy car, so not typically thrown around corners, but can be. Large trunk, thirsty engine, but supremely satisfying. Very rare to see on the road. Slab look does not feel outdated, especially in the coupe. Reliability is very good, but parts are pricey when required. Midrange acceleration is amazing. This is not a dragster. Great looks, super feel, quiet and extremely comfortable mean a 9.5 out of 10 for me.

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  Certified pre-owned, what a great car... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By gogomikey01 - September 27 - 9:06 am

  Bought a black on in June,certified with just under 25k miles. I drive just over 900 miles/week,almost all highway, rest is 2 lane winding county road. The car is quick and quiet,with a smooth and well contolled ride. I drive aggressively, this car is very responsive. Just had heavy ground frost and icing, 4matic lets me accelerate into traffic with confidence. This is a very sporty car with the utility of a wagon. Drove BMWX3,BMW325Xi, VW 4motion GLS and W8,this was much nicer. Best praise, just bought another one today for my wife,certified 03 with just over 19K since we both like this one so much. Cargo room is small for a wagon, but plenty big when the rear seats are folded down.

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  WOW - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Poppy - September 26 - 10:10 pm

  I traded a 2004 E320 (the best car I had ever owned) for a 2008 E350 ostensibly to get 21st century cup holders and an ipod kit. I got much more. Although the skin is very similar, the guts are all new and vastly improved. I got the Sport model and the handling is phenomenal. This is my third E Class (my wife had an E320 wagon). Each has been extremely reliable. I have always purchased CPO Mercedes and have been extremely happy with the performance and, of course, the savings.

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  Horrible Car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By BobbyBobby - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This car, was just a horrible design, the "SUV" was not as reliable as I thought it would be when I heard about it. This car is horrible, and I am planning to sell mine too.

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  WHY I PAID MORE - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MICHAEL M - September 26 - 10:00 am

  OVER PRICED BUT WORTH THE MONEY. AS OWNER OF A BMW 5 SERIES, PLEASENTLY SUPRISED WITH THE HANDLING OF MY SPORTS MODEL E320.

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  E-320 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rmmakhene - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I have had my E-320 since December, 2002 and I can say unequivocally that it is the best car I have ever owned (previous car was an Acura Legend). The performance is good for a 6- cylinder. Comfort is excellent. Have not had any problems with engine, transmission, electrical, etc. My only complaint is that the rain- sensing wipers are not always accurate and I find myself frequently having to either turn them on or off completely. Standard, manual intermittent wipers would have been better in my opinion. Other than I would recommend it highly to any prospective buyer.