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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  Lots of Bang for the Buck - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By TravelinMan - May 26 - 10:00 am

  I just picked up a 2000 C280 Sport with 48K miles. I have driven it over 1000 miles and really like the car. I had a 1997 C280 prior, and the car is MUCH more refined. The Sport Package is a must in my opinion if you do any spirited driving. I think it really improves the looks as well. My only beef is that the Motorola Cell Phone built in the car is outdated and nothing is updated from Mercedes for it. The car handles crisply and makes a fun commuter car. I am averaging about 25 in the city and close to 30 on the highway. Good luck...a Benz is never just another car.

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  Fun and Prestige - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Manolito - May 26 - 10:00 am

  The new 2005 MB C230 Sedan is not only fun and comfy to drive but also delivers nods and gazes of recognition and admiration. Hence it is not easy to summarize ones experience since the latter qualities are hard to measure and quantify. The sporty trim and structure makes the ride and handling a little more stiff and noisy, but one has to accept these because it is a SPORT sedan, not a regular sedan.

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  Great car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Sean - May 26 - 8:35 am

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  Early in the life of the new Benz - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By x MINI COOPER - May 24 - 8:10 pm

  The C230 replaced a 2002 launch edition MINI cooper. The C230 is a much different car, more comfort, no where near the razor edge handling of the MINI. MINI had reliability problems from day 1. Service could never fix the issues. MB dealer treated the customer fairly with respect, unlike MINI service. Leagues more power than MINI, darn near the same mileage.

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  Looks more expensive than its class - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bengaile - May 24 - 6:46 am

  We purchased our C230 this past August, and does this car ever turn heads! People often mistake it for a $65 - $70K car. The MB personnel at the dealership, from sales to service, were/are 100% pleasant and professional!

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  Reliable - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By E320W sport pkg - May 23 - 12:36 am

  So far I have had no problems. I bought it used from an authorized MB Dealer so I have the Starmark warranty and a bit of factory warranty left. I have not encountered any problems other than regular maintenance repair. I probably could have bought one for about 6K less from a non MB dealer, but I did not want to risk dealing with headaches.

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  Worth the Money - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Scarmen - May 22 - 2:00 am

  As expected, the handling and road manners are very good. Quality of interior is very high, and my entire family loves this vehicle. It rewards the driver with excellent road manners and confident road feedback. Have had no problems and the Mercedes dealers have been great.

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  The SL55 Rocks! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By RickSL55 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is truly awesome! The combination of power and luxury is unmatched by anything else on the road. I sold my Lexus LS400, Honda S2000 and Mercedes SLK32. Dont need them anymore!

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  Happy ML350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By TRIX - May 21 - 12:33 pm

  After a rocky start with my dealership, my car is the best purchase I have made in years. Love the ride, and stability of my ML350. Its gas consumption has been ok also.

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  ML350 thoughts - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bee - May 20 - 4:46 pm

  Previously owned a CLK320, the ML handling is of course not as quick as a tiny CLK, (I guess a small car will beat a large car every time in the curves) however it feels more luxurious and has plenty of power. Gas mileage is one third less than the CLK, seems like Im putting gas in it constantly. Best car I ever owned but has more quality issues that the CLK. Hood was not on properly. rug on passenger side not under door frame properly. gas cover came off while I was just washing the car. Little things were problems.