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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  four eyes on the road - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By gjzeee - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Everything that was promised and more. It has the looks , the feel , the goods, the quality , the ride , the power an the girls dig it. Its a great improvment over my previous E430. The only thing that its missing is a nav. system. If u get this car u will not regret it.

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  Exclusive! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Amina - February 23 - 6:53 am

  I had it since 2000 it now has 27k it still runs superberbly. My husband takes it off roading all the time, its great.The car doesnt catch peoples eyes as much as it used to because the M-class is all over the place now, but it is still my baby.

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  MBNA Corp has no regard for customers out of warranty - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By car_maven_1 - February 23 - 4:24 am

  I was happy my C300 Sport 4matic while it was under warranty. A few technical problems (mostly w/navi) but otherwise good. Recently, at 53,00 miles and 46 months old, my inside door handle broke making it impossible to exit the car. It is $1200 to repair this plastic part (must replace entire pannel)! The dealer said it was out of warranty and suggested calling MBNA corporate. Both the agent assigend to my case and his supervisor were rude and could not care less that this would have been covered 45 days earlier, or that it was my familys 13th Benz. I told him I would never buy another - he didnt care. At least the dealer agreed to split the repair cost. Next time Porsche!

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  2001 E320 Sedan - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Teresa - February 22 - 10:03 am

  This is worst car I have ever owned. Every time I turn around something is wrong either with the electrical system, a/c, engine overheating or the windows wont go up. Oh and of course the cylinders keep going out. The check engine came on once again today two out of six cylinders are not working. I need another full time job to keep the car on the road. Not mention the $50+ oil changes. I wish I had my Infiniti I30 back. It never left me on the side of the road!

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  Suspension noises - 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By westgent - February 21 - 10:30 pm

  My 2008 S550 4matic has 47,000 miles and I am the 2nd owner. I have owned it for about a year and have put 12K on it with no major complaints other than the following: 1) Coolant Level warning light, 2) ABS warning light, 3) noisy front end suspension noises. I believe the first two items are simple computer error causing the warning lights to illuminate having checked the coolant level and braking system with no signs of being too low or malfunctioning respectively. The annoying noises are a mystery. Is the air suspension? Is it rocker arms or bushings? Any feedback and recommendations would be appreciated.

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  Many improvements - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By rueym - February 20 - 11:26 pm

  If you get the 500 its worth the money compared to any other in its class. Its durable, so far no problems. Although many are complaining its because they have a lower model, the 500 is solid and performs well!

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  mercedes reliabilty - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By richard snyder - February 19 - 10:00 am

  when we purchased this vehicle in nov of 96 we were so happy. then we found out it had a german smaller gas tank. the dealership replaced it tthe proper size tank. then we started to have a series of reliabilty problems, such as the following: glow plugs not working (8 times),care stalling while in motion (10 times), 3 blower motors, 2 control modules replaced, order pump for ww wipers.if you wish i can you copies of the work orders. It just to much effort to wrie here. MB did extend the warranty to 75,000 miles and the were good in providing a loaner car with no cost to me. The problems have with this car up to this writing. richard snyder

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  Dream Car for Drivers - 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By JPK - February 19 - 3:53 am

  Factory delivery August 08. 2K miles over 3 weeks in Europe with spouse and plenty of luggage. Now have 8.5K miles. Beautiful (projects stronger image than predecessor),fast, handles flat, 27 MPG hwy, 18 city, rock solid, super brakes, zero defects, great seats, new COMMAND system w/ iPod connection, satellite radio excellent, totally stable at 110 MPH (autobahn, not California!) and in rain,seamless transmission with paddles, perfect descendant of original 300SL. Get one before they take your keys away.

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  Who Da Mn - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Paul Pelc - February 18 - 8:53 pm

  This is just an all around Precision Machine. Ungodly speed and handling! The Vette or Carrera or just about anything that pulls up next to you will end up in your rearview mirror. It doesnt matter if you are starting from a stop or already going 80, hit it and it will plant your head and take off like a bullet. The first time you head up a 40mph ramp merging into the highway doing 137mph you realize how AMG is - vs standard. The only regret is that the Autoban is not a local road!

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  Fantastic & Elegant - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Denver - February 17 - 2:10 pm

  We just purchased a 2008. The vehicle is beautiful. The power is more than adaquate. With all of the safety options and driving control/traction we cant wait to use it in the snow as we travel in the Denver/Boulder area. This car will be our last "big purchase" for us for a long time. It has all of the features Cant lose with a Benz, however you also cant get a true "Benz" without adding the options and plan on spending over $45,000 when you are all done.