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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  My luxury SUV sedan - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Boston MB owner - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Simply put this car has power and handle in the worst weather condition! Its almost unreal how well it got through snow, rain, etc in the Northeast (Boston). It also carries the legend of the three pointed star ( great ride, comfort, dependability,room,etc ). Im glad I didnt go the ML route and the G wagon just isnt my cup of tea. The e430 4matic is all the 4 wheel drive I need. My family loves it. I highly reccomend the Starmark warranty because you will want to keep this one for a long time. The A6 4.2 or older A8 AUDI is not even close to this one. If you need a awd sedan youll now what Im talking about.

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  too many gadgets too little service IQ - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By flatout - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Great Car, poorly built. The engine is strong, very strong but its pushing a rolling sevice call. Dealership is unable to deal with complex technical problems and simple drivetrain issues.

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  Fun in my Benz - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By cubie - May 24 - 10:00 am

  Car is great! Has great power, outstanding safety features, great styling

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  The E320 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Midkey - May 24 - 2:00 am

  This has been a fantastic car. Im considering a new E320 or E500, but I cant bring myself to sell this one. It had a few small problems with bulbs blowing out. The local Benz dealership fixed the problem after several visits. Fortunatley, it was covered under warranty. The ride is exceptional as is everything else about the E320. I think Ill stay with the E class because it is easy to get around in the city yet still has a big car feel.

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  2004 E500 Got it Right - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mbat - May 24 - 2:00 am

  I just got a E-500 sport. Previously had 3 S430s. Overall combination of looks, styling and performance hard to beat. Fun car to drive. Every car has compromises based on critea a driver is looking for. WHAT A COMPROMISE!

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  Will Never Buy MB Again! MB=German Lemon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Eunice - May 24 - 2:00 am

  First and last MB I will ever buy! Since I bought the car, I noticed that the car pulls hard to the right. Its like MB built the car crooked. Whats even worse is that MB tried to make me pay for alignment!Service has been poor and 2nd rate compared to Infiniti & Lexus. Even after alignment, car still pulls to right. CD player failed 3 times, battery was replaced, left speaker fell off, gas mileage not as great as advertised, climate control failed. Car is too heavy for the engine especially when accelerating from a stop & transmission jerks when shifting from 1st to 2nd at slow traffic speeds. Amazing how a $60g engine is less refined than a $20g Honda.

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  ABSOLUTE LEMON - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By eclipse82 - May 23 - 3:13 am

  I bought this car with 39K miles on it and now have 124K on it. Here is a list of the issues wither fixed and/or still broken... Car caught Fire at Mercedes - A/C Blower Shorted out, Causing Fuse Box to catch fire and burnt underneath Dash. They informed me the Technician received minor burns when trying to put out the fire. -New Alarm Siren (it would go off randomly) -2 Alternators (Voltage Regulator goes bad) -New Door Lock on Driver and passenger Side doors -New RF Sensor on Driver door for the Key-less Remote -2 New Thermostats -1 Driver Side Door Handle -2 Passenger side Door handles and NOW Broke for 3rd time -Rear Glass was replaced because when rear defroster was turned on it would m

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  A perfect compromise - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Joe Brasco - May 22 - 11:30 pm

  This car a fantastic family verhicle. Not only does it ride like a Mercedes S-Class but it has the same unrivaled leg room - even in the third row. I love th ease of converting from three rows to two and back - the only car I know where this can be done with one hand from the rear of the car while loading! You will love riding this car and long road trips will be a breeze.

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  Fantastic all-around driver - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By almazz - May 22 - 10:00 am

  Soon after I began commuting into the city again (after a 15 year break) I became disenchanted with my Jag S-type - 4.0L, Sport Suspension. The flaws in the car started to wear on me. The CL has revitalized my drive: a combination of back roads and semi- highways.

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  WAIT FOR NEXT YEARS MODEL!!!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By HLee - May 22 - 10:00 am

  Definitally wait for next years (2003 S500). They are going to redesign the horrible COMMAND system, and upgrade the materials in the cabin. There are too many flimbsy plastics for a car like a S500. Power is pretty comparable to an LS430 or Q45.