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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  Wonderful car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Lucille - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Love my Benz!!!!!! its comfortable! Very dependable! There is nothing that I dont like! I have owned MBs for 4 years.

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  I LOVE this car! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By conniej1954 - April 24 - 1:36 am

  I bought my 2002 Mercedes c320 4 door sedan in December 2011 with only 68,000 miles on it. I also bought a warrranty. I have had it in the shop a few times but only to get the scheduled maintanance done that the previous owner did not do. A lot of the things were actually covered under my warranty. I love the Tulsa, Okla Mercedes dealership, Jackie Cooper Imports. They are top of the line for the way they treat customers and do the car repairs, etc. I love my car! I am 57 years old and have never had a car that I have enjoyed more in my life.

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  Still love it! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Edvard Petrovskiy - April 23 - 9:10 pm

  I love my C320! It still a head- turner, looks/drives great. It does break a lot (same problems that other MB owners have). Hey, what do you expect from an expensive car? If you buy this car with out warranty, expect to pay about $1000 annually in repair bills. My mechanic does the repairs, I never take it to dealer, except free car washes(You can do an oil change anywhere.) Its a great car!

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  What a ride - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By d of athens - April 23 - 8:13 pm

  I traded my 2005 Acura tl for this car 30 days ago and am very happy with it. Looks good, rides good. 7 speed auto is very smooth and better gas mileage than my previous car.

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  Great Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By VJR - April 23 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car from a coworker. It has been wonderful from the beginning (including when my coworker owned it). Because I didnt purchase it new it isnt equipped the way I would. e.g., I would want navigation and rear backup sensors. But Ive had very few mechanical issues and have definitely enjoyed ownership.

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  Nice Car but only buy CPO buying used. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ATLBENZ - April 23 - 10:00 am

  I have driven BMWs for the last ten years and wanted a change so I went MB. I love the looks of the E350 and how comfortable it is on trips. I bought the car from an independent dealer with 48K on it. The car had been maintained by Mercedes since the day it was bought. Being the second owner and having a clean car fax, I figured I was ok. Up until last week the car was super. The car just turned 52K miles and the transmission had a major malfunction due to the electronics. I had to pay right at $2000 to have the Valve body of the transmission replaced. I am very disappointed that this happened exactly 2000 miles after the factory warranty expired.Not what you would expect on a MB this new.

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  Not Quite Great - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By WagonGuy2 - April 23 - 10:00 am

  Late August pick-up (2k miles so far) - luxury, obsidian black, almond/mocha leather, P1, wood steering wheel. Beautifully built, highly refined. Standout interior w/ excellent stereo, very comfortable seats, good noise insulation. Very smooth at highway speeds, yet holds well on sharp on/off ramps. However, MB misses in two areas. 1st, engine is a bit underpowered for cars size. 2nd, mediocre 7-speed trans. Specifically, shifting keeps RPMs too low when accelerating unless peddle to the floor (so much for 2 overdrives), sport mode does nothing, does not adapt to driving style (contrary to advertising). A very good car, but needs some work. A shame BMW no longer makes the 5 wagon.

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  Awesome Buy - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MAC - April 22 - 3:00 am

  This car is an absolute blast. It blows the C240 away. If you are looking for something that is reasonably quick yet cheap, this is your car. However, maintenance is quite expensive. Just went through the first oil change, $65! The thing requires Mobil 1 SuperSyn 0W- 40 and there are only a couple of places you can buy that. Approximate cost is $7.50 a quart. Other than that, enjoy.

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  CLK320 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Kevin Lambert - April 22 - 12:50 am

  Fun to drive. Very nice lines. Did have the transmission fail after a few months of driving. A control module was replaced to correct the defect. Good gas mileage and great sound system

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  S600 SuperCar - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By San Jose MBZ - April 22 - 12:13 am

  If youre looking for a large Sedan that is fun to drive, this is it! The torque is nothing less than incredible! This is not a sports car, its a big sedan that goes 0-60 about as fast as a Ferrari. Seats are extremely comfortable. Much more so than my wifes CL500 upgraded seats. The "Keyless Go" has failed 4 times in 1.5 years. Everything else is superb. If possible, get this model over the S500. You wont be sorry. A great understated car!