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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  Awesome car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mperper - March 8 - 2:00 am

  The C230 is great! Fun to drive, but engine is a bit small. My favorite car so far!

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  Dont buy this car...!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By fomopopo - March 8 - 2:00 am

  This was our first MB purchase, and our last. We have had every malfunction you can think of.. SOS, radio, tire presure, pulling to the right, and broken molding under front seat (check yours). I should have bought a Lexus. Dont walk away from this vehicle, run. Weve had little help from the MB headquarters, and the dealership is overwhelmed with malfunctioning vehicles. Ours has been in the shop 5 times in the last 9 months.

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  Great Performance - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Veronica vicente - March 5 - 12:56 am

  Driving the new GL Class seven seater has been great and worth the money. Im very happy with its special high technology. The navigation system is awesome.

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  Simply the best... - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Don - March 4 - 7:26 am

  Traded in our Landrover and we enjoyed the LR3 while we had it. We drove all the other competitors in this price range. The general overall feel and construction of this suv will impress you. It is on a whole different level when you compare to the others. The lexus felt like a toy....We had two BMWs prior this purchase and wanted something different. I cant believe anyone would choose the RX Lexus over the MB.

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  BEST Benz ive owned so far! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By david j sottini - March 3 - 12:16 pm

  I have only owned my 2008 black on black cl550 sport for 8 weeks now! Amazing car! I have a lot of experience with Benz brand and with the cl class. I owned and drove a 2003 cl500 sport 51,000 fun filled miles in three years and a 2006 cl500 sport 41,000 glorious miles in only 21 months. I already drove this cl class 2,200 miles. Around town is cool, back roads are a ball and very confident feel, tight handling staying on track perfectly for me. Open highway you feel like youre in a dream. Quiet inside, stable and just gliding along! Acceleration is great for a heavy car. Braking is terrific. The 382 horsepower and 7 speed transmission were made to go together very well. Sporty, comfort and luxury!

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  Love It! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By youngster1990 - March 3 - 1:56 am

  My parents bought this for me as my first car and I love everything about it. My best friend has an Audi A4 and she asked to drive my car and she said she enjoys it more than her car. The stereo is great. Leather is great. I just love this car! Makes my heart skip a beat (in a good way) when I accelerate onto the highway and passs people!

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  2nd Benz - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By fmp0926 - March 1 - 6:23 pm

  The reviews that say the GLK is built like a tank are spot on. This thing is solid! The GLKs exterior look is polarizing (love it or hate it) but I like the boxy shape since it denotes function over form. There are way too many "SUVs" that are all curvy but at the expense of usable cargo space. I bought the GLK because I wanted something that was extremely safe to drive, was well built, had decent handling, good acceleration and offered a fair amount of utility. I did not buy it because I wanted to get good gas mileage, needed to haul more than 4 adults or lots of cargo. Given those parameters, I am extremely satisfied with the GLK thus far.

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  Nothing but fun - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By DCM - March 1 - 1:10 pm

  Previous cars: Audis A4/6, Porsche Boxster S. I purchased a "Grand Edition" CLK 350 ,only 400 coupes imported. I wont see one on every corner. Grand comes with a host of sport items; suspension, 18 AMG wheels, Contisports 35/45, aero bodywork. It is set up more towards a sport tourer. I really liked the firm ride. not harsh though. It is much more of a drivers car than the audis and the interiors are very close in design and build quality. I have to say what really sold me were the looks. This is the last year for the CLK and quite frankly I do not like the new C/E classes. The interior is very well appointed. The grand has the chocolate with cream stitching.B MB logo on the brakes!

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  Like it - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By suzy - March 1 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is so much fun! I love driving it and it has been wonderful in the snow and rain. The heated seats are so comfortable I do not want to reach my destination. It is not, however, for long hauls. Around town it is great! For long drives, however, I will continue to take the suburban.

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  Hello Honey Im Home!! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By m-dizzle - March 1 - 2:00 am

  Unbelievable power. This vehicle is the pinnacle of refinement, a smooth ride, a powerhouse, with the all important smug factor.