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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  Still in love after 60K miles! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Hardjr - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Trend setting M-B looks that others have followed will keep this SUV in style for years. An average 20mpg every tank. Great acceleration, performance and handling.

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  Beautiful car! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By pauly_bananas - September 2 - 4:28 am

  Sold my 04 BMW 325 conv. and got this as my upgrade. I bought it from Rallye Motors in L.I. from Marianne. Great dealer and she was great. My other car is a 08 G35. This Benz is beautiful. It rides and drives like a dream. So smooth. Quiet. Comfortable. Its a pure pleasure to drive. Only owned it 3 months but its thus far the best car I ever owned. They did a nice job with this car.

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  Almost Perfect...almost - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Ken - September 2 - 12:50 am

  Classic design...just a beautiful machine. I had heard about some MB quality issues in the early 2000s model lines and there are some bugs in the car: engine computer replacement, radiator hose replacement, window wahser resvoir repalcement, a turn signal that just wont work. Bummer on a car that cost $120k new. On the plus side this is a magical machine that you only really begin to understand at 100mph+. The design is clean and classic...the V12 purrs unless you want it to growl, which it is happy to do. This car is all alpha male selection.

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  New to MB, no longer a Caddy fan. - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By PaulB - September 1 - 8:50 pm

  Ive had this 2014 E350 luxury wagon for about a month. It has 12,000 miles on it, and looks like new. Being as old as dirt, I wanted something comfortable. I have been driving Cadillacs for the last 30 years, but traded in a Cadillac XTS, which is the last Caddy I will ever buy. I hated the touch screen, which required looking down and precise finger placement. This is my first MB, and comes with comfort package and lots of other features in the 4Matic version. I needed a long trunk space for hobbies so my choices were few. I was surprised that this wagon is not longer than the 4-door sedan, and was very similar in weight and dimensions to the XTS. It is also noticeably quieter! Although it needs premium gas, it does several mpg better, is more nimble and seems to have smaller turning circle. LIKES: Mouse controlled non-touch screen with good resolution. ECO mode shuts off engine when stopped as long as foot on brake. HOLD mode even allows you to take foot off brake, and restarts engine only when you hit gas. Rear seats fold almost flat with no gap or step where they meet the trunk floor. Seats are very comfortable and have good range of adjustment. I like the way the inside temp. is permanently displayed each side just above the setting up/down switch. DISLIKES: I miss not having real-time speed limit display. The back-up camera is great but I cant see the back-up warning red LED bar on the ceiling in the rear view mirror.(Why have it at all if it is positioned so stupidly.) It was just about the only vehicle within 1000 miles that met all my requirements and even the color (gun-metal gray, with white interior) was acceptable. UPDATE: After 12mths Im still just as pleased. I wish I had gone over to MB in the 90s when Caddys went to hell!

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  The Reliabel E-350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By erhardt - September 1 - 3:11 am

  I am very satisfied with the performance of my Benz

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  R350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By B Factor - August 28 - 1:36 am

  I have owned other Mercedes my last was a ML500.When the lease was over I though of another but then decided on the New R. Looked at the 500 R but when I drove the 350 I found it was just fine the power no need for the bigger engine. I have found it to be a excellent car and the new 350 engine execellent in power and gas milage. It offers all of the SUV I had plus handles like a car. I am glad I made this choice and the lease offer thru my dealer was fine.

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  E320 Diesel Rocks - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rich Birckbichler - August 25 - 1:06 pm

  Love drive and feel. Get 600 miles + per tank which really saves time at the pump (and cash). Car simply looks classy, even when dirty. Issues w/known quality problems with power window mechanism. Both rear windows became disconnected, the right side twice. Dealer says Mercedes knows, but they have not found fix. Car stalls when gas is pressed to far which is an issue for pulling into traffic. Fog lights have an inherent fault as does the A/C sensor on the outside. Bumber cover for winter heater plug and tow ring falls off and is expensive to replace. However, no other car beats its styling, so faults can be overlooked.

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  awesome car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By freezerman - August 23 - 10:00 am

  this car is a 10. great value. chicks dig it. rides like a limo, handles like F1 race car. great gas mileage

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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Daniel Sheehan - August 23 - 10:00 am

  My E500 is the best car I have ever owned or driven. Since picking it up in Nov 2003 it been a wonderful machine to drive. It handles easily and has great get-up-and-go when necessary. I just wish that somehow auto engineers could do away with the ever so slight hesitency when accelerating - something every automatic has. There is also a safety feature I dont like. If you brake with your left foot (I do), you cant accelerate while your foot is even slightly on the brake. Overall though it is a beautiful, wonderful, fun car to drive. If youre thinking about getting one - go ahead and youll be glad you did.

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  2007 MBZ S550 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Dave - August 23 - 12:13 am

  The horsepower is on par with my 02 S55, the 7-speed transmission is so smooth and accurate as to be barely there. The updated computer systems are easy to learn, my wife likes the sirius and panoramic roof. The kids like the rear seat redundant controls for the windows, front seat and sunshades -- (7) electronic shades versus (1) previously! Only two complaints -- the standard leather should be upgraded and the electronic door closers should trigger easier like the 02.