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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  Solid German tank; wont let you down - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By FJ - June 6 - 7:56 am

  What a great car. My first E-class, an E430, was totaled, and the same dealership got me into an E320 4Matic. Excellent ride; a joy to do some DIY work to, easy to work on and find OEM parts online, and a great community of owners at various sites, including benzworld dot org. Ive had Lexus and I just cant get over how much better the German ride is and how well Mercedes makes their vehicles. A completely different driving experience than even BMW and Audi, both brands I love as well. But for now, given the quality, fit and finish of these vehicles, Im glad to see Benz took a step in the right direction with the W212 chassis (2010- up) and Ill be buying a used W212 wagon next!

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  Nice to drive, expensive to maintain - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By scott hollander - June 5 - 11:50 pm

  Nice car to drive. It handles well. All in all I really like the vehicle. Unfortunetly Mercedes doesnt make a reliable car. In the five years that I owned it these are some of the problems that I had or at least the ones that I can remember. Windows wouldnt go up, replaced button pad twice. Brakes went after 40,000. Requires ceramic pads very expensive. Key wouldnt turn in steering wheel lock. Catalytic converter had a cracked tube and sounded like a boat until I got it fixed. Front headlight had to be replaced after 15,000. Rear light holder on inside rear door had to be adjusted. Wires under passenger seat rattled. Some part on the air intake need replacing $ 500. Now the gas gauge isnt working .Great!

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  Many Problems - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bill - June 2 - 5:16 pm

  I had to have the whole engine replaced after 5 trips to the dealer for excess oil useage. Exterior lights burn out. Now major problem with transmission which will not upshift and very jerky. Probably been in the shop a total of 30+ days with other problems

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  SL500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Harlan Cohen - June 2 - 10:00 am

  Excellent car in everyway. I have been driving Sls since 1975 and this surpasses them all by a lot. It is a great looking car and handles just as well.Only thing missing is a sunglass holder.

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  Redefining driving excitement - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By SL55 TN - June 2 - 10:00 am

  This is the car everyone wants with good reason. Prior to taking delivery of my SL55, I drove a Honda S2000 (fun but very basic) and a 2003 SLK32 (too small, horrible steering response). Even with a weight of over two tons, the SL55s 493 horses will pin you to your seatback while surounding you with every conceivable luxury appointment. I drove SL55s at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Junes AMG Challenge, just to see what this beast could do when fully unleashed. What a rush! Not your typical no-frills sports car, but a lot more fun to drive!

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  Stop by your MB dealer now!!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Poker Face - June 2 - 10:00 am

  I stopped by and looked at the BMW 3 series, Acura TL, Audi A4 and Volvos. Once you see the 2005 C230 sedan in person you will fall in love with it...pictures on the internet dont even come close. Overall a great package, it has style, handling, performance and that little something called MB...I expect quality to be world class.

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  C300 6 Speed Sport w/18" AMG wheels - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steve - June 1 - 3:13 am

  I traded in my Audi S8 for this car. My wife thought I was crazy until she drove it. It handles like it is on rails and the performance is very good overall. Not quite the acceleration of the Audi but I am getting 31 mpg on the highway between 65-70mph with the cruise set. I cant wait for the Borla exhaust to come!

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  love mine - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By relixwjm - May 31 - 1:30 pm

  sweet engine. great ski car. maintain them and they go forever

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  C240 Disappointed... - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tom114 - May 30 - 2:00 am

  Biggest complaint has been poor radio reception. Lots of static on FM and some stations do not come in at all. Other trips to the dealer have been, rear sunshade stopped working, front end bushings squeaked, both front indicators malfunctioned, front seats squeaked and drivers seat was very spongy and felt loose on turns. Also Sunroof regularly needs the resyncing procedure, My C240 has got the Mercedes Benz bug out of my system. Just wish MB could get the bugs out of their system!

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  ITS COME A LONG WAYS FROM 1998 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By FRED PERRY - May 30 - 2:00 am

  MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS FROM MY OLD 1998 ML320, MOST PRIOR OWNERS WILL NEVER COME BACK. I FEEL MERCEDES BENZ CARS AND SUVS ARE THE SAFEST BUILT VEHICLES IN THE WORLD AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE COME BACK FROM A 1998 ML 320 TO A 2003 ML 500. WHAT A DIFFERENCE WITH OVER A 1000+IMPROVEMENTS.