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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  Best S series yet - 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By MTech8 - December 13 - 5:16 pm

  Had every generation of MB S class since 1991. This one by far is the best one ever! I cant truly comment on reliability yet since its still a new car. But so far no problems. The drive and the features of the car are great! Plenty of power for everyday driving. If youre a racer, you should be looking at AMG models. Gave the fuel economy an 8. It drinks gas like water, but not uncommon for V8. Think there is definite room for improvement though. Cross shopped against BMW 7 series. Choose this model due to the 7 series getting a model revision very soon.

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  What a great car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Alex - December 12 - 5:50 pm

  I never thought I would own a Mercedes. I always felt they were and old persons car. This CDI as a lot of power. I drove from south Jersey to 20 miles from Georgia on one tank of fuel. I bet I could have made it to Georgia. I lease the car and the only way I will not buy it after the lease is if Mercedes puts that motor in its S class.

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  1998 Mercedes 500 SL sport w SL1/SL2 opt - 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By YOONSEOK - December 12 - 10:00 am

  This is a one of the top model for Mercedes 50yrs of SL making. With no doubt it has a impressive handling and sticks to the road. well balanced and super responsive. cornering with 18inch optional AMG wheels are crisp, and breaking is tight ( feels more like a Japanese car in breaking yet has engine roars like Italian Farrari. love the sound of Exhaust) beautifully stream lined and Optional HID is great. Planty of Torque at low RPM with total 350lb with 315 hp.

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  What a value - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Zipser - December 12 - 10:00 am

  ar is extremely fun to drive, and I havent had one problem with it so far with a little over 3,000 miles so far. Youll definately want to look into the Panorama roof, and leather seats. And the top of the car looks cool, because it looks all glass, which is a nice touch. The leather seats are comfy but not too firm. Theyre perforated, which adds an extra sporty touch. The steering wheel feels great in your hands, and the buttons on there operate the little info screen in the dash, which has a lot of info to offer at any time. Good head room in the front, but not that great in the back, because it slopes down so much near the rear of the car.

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  Wheeeeee - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By sophie797 - December 12 - 10:00 am

  The new E500 is incredible. Nothing missing for luxury. Stands out in a crowd. Touch shift and sport suspension are awesome. After learning about the features the car is 10x better than the test drive. Yea MB

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  Luxury Utility Vehicle - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By cgrekin - December 10 - 11:11 pm

  Picked up the ML350 about 2 weeks ago. Compared the FX35, Q5, GLK350, SRX, X3 and the Evoque. The ML one out based on upon an overall quality. The ML is not the sportiest, but it handles well, accelerates well and gets competitive gas mileage. It is very luxurious with high quality materials and style. It is now similar to a mercedes E class sedan in style and luxury. Mercedes, Cadillac and Infiniti are much more competitive with their lease deals than Audi, Land Rover and Audi. If you are looking for a sportier SUV the Infiniti FX35 is a good value and finished 2nd in our search.

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  Car of a lifetime - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By vinman - December 10 - 8:06 pm

  I wanted a Benz since I was 6. Now 50 I just got my first! Scale of 1 to 10 this car is a 12.5 we love it yes it has its quirks but all cars to. Fast super comfy handles like a dream solid as a rock. Gotta admit the Germans build the best production cars in the world. Being a mechanic and owner of numerous Ford Chevy, Chrysler and the lot . I gotta hand it to them this car is hot . I only paid 8000 dollars for it. It has 87,000 miles on it. I expect it will run forever. Tk you mr Benz we are very happy with it.

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  It does not get any better than this! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By ben makowski - December 8 - 5:50 am

  traded 08 S550 4matic, third S class in a row and I have to honestly say, they just keep improving! The lighting on the 10 is very...well 2010! I think for the money you can not honestly buy a better car at this price point. If you can afford BUY IT!

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  mercedes benz is # 1 - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By alford - December 6 - 10:00 am

  this type of benz is remarcable. ride is perfect , on the road is firm . you have full control of the car.once you drive a benz , you will not go back to any other.lexus is no match to the benz.quality is like no other car in the world.

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  Quality and Performance - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By reenid - December 6 - 10:00 am

  Having owned a CLK 430 Coupe (V8, 275hp) for 3 years, I thought nothing could rival its quality, performance, safety, reliability, and design. But, Mercedes has exceeded all expectations again in the redesigned CLK 500 Coupe. Quality remains the same, the options are amazing. 8 airbags and other safety features are incredible. Please note that MB has super heavy duty bumpers-- the bumper cover is what you see damaged in testing. The car is incredible--pride of ownership and a joy to own. Mercedes treats customers with respect, quality treatment, and quick fix, if necessary, regardless of length of ownership.