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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  2011 MB S63 - 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By cuni - July 16 - 7:54 am

  The only way that I could possible love this car is if I had never owned a 2008 version. The "ecco" drive system is a bust. Luxury sports sedans with this much power should not have to be coaxed out of the starting blocks. Add to all of this the fact that I have to add a quart of oil every other month and Im so mad at MB that I could holler!. Why would you take a perfectly fine luxury sedan(2008-2010) and ruin it like this. Im also tikced off at the three delaers who told me that there was major differences between the 08 and 11.(I live in a smaller market and none of the local dealerships had a car I could drive prior to purchasing the 11). Future S-63 buyers--Save your money!

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  Fun to drive but low reliability - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Andrew Lam - July 16 - 5:13 am

  For the last four years, this car was under warranty work for not less than ten times. The problem includes suspension, engine oil leaks, BAS and ESP lights on, engine back fire and requires new oxygen sensors . I would strongly advise potential buyers to purchase extended warranty before similar problems happen after the warranty expires.

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  Wow, but it stinks - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By jcj001 - July 14 - 2:00 am

  This is the latest in my car habit. Before this I had an 02 Carrerra, an 02 M3 convertible, an 01 Vette Coupe, a 99 430E, and a 97 540i. This is by far the best car that I have owned. The interior is great, and the command system is quite useful. The exterior is simply marvelous. I have the smell problem as mentioned in other reviews. MB of Annapolis sold it to me knowing it, then promised to fix it (had the car three weeks after I only had it a week), and it needs to go back in. They refused to give me my money back. MB of Annapolis has seen its last dollar from me, and I would recommend anybody else staying away from them too.

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  2006 ML350 - excellent SUV - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Dan Crick - July 14 - 1:33 am

  The 2006 ML 350 has more than enough power especially when bolted to the 7 speed automatic transmission. I do not know why anyone would purchase the ML500 after driving the ML350. Acceleration is adequate to any task short of the drag strip. The car is extremely quiet even at high speeds. The Harmon Kardon stereo is the best factory set-up I have heard and is significantly better than the Bose systems I have had. I do not like the cruise control stalk as it is too close to the turn signal stalk. You must also pay close attention to options as they can be confusing. Overall an excellent SUV and MB provides lifetime roadside assistance at no additional cost!

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  Steering wobble but great car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Pool - July 13 - 4:43 pm

  First week: Brakes squeal, wobble in steering wheel at 65 mph, mirrors wont adjust downward in reverse and Parktronic starts blaring in traffic. Dealer fixes brakes, Parktronic, replaces four tires, re-aligns. Second week: Steering still wobbles - dealer says balance is off - must have thrown a weight. Third week: Steering still wobbles. Dealer spends 4 days working on problem. Day due to be delivered, dealer says Mercedes issues service bulletin re: problem with bushings and control arms in front (this sounds like suspension which is what I have been telling them from day 1). Replaced control arms and bushings. Now passenger seat quits adjusting to turns, et. Drives perfect now.

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  Great - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By heidi - July 12 - 10:00 am

  This car is the best car I have every Purchesed. Buy IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  not a ml........ thank god!!!!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By NaPZ - July 12 - 10:00 am

  tough, nice, tough, tough..... a unique 4x4 that is definantly in a league of its own

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  No Major Problems - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gjl - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I have had no major problems, I have had a few minor problems with the fit and finish, but all were covered by warranty and the service I received from Mercedes is excellent. In my area they even offer Moble service and they come right to you.

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  C280 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Tight and solid always. The 6 cyl C280 is a lot more refined that the 4 cyl models, which I would avoid. These cars show every sign of going the distance, as did their predecessors.

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  C280 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By carfreak - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Tight and solid always. The 6 cyl C280 is a lot more refined that the 4 cyl models, which I would avoid. These cars show every sign of going the distance, as did their predecessors.