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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  the best - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By valentinoviola - January 14 - 4:43 pm

  my second e300(now e320) Mercedes Benz wagon. excellent car,practically indestructible, my old baby I trade at 240.000 miles,I have lot of road with this new one!!

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  Sleeper rocket wagon - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hot wagon - January 13 - 7:00 am

  When I first heard about the wagon, I ordered it immediately. I had hoped Mercedes would bring a high performance wagon to the U.S. but never had before, only the rest of the world had a performance estate wagon. While it is rather expensive for a wagon, approaching the price of an S55 (which I also have), I think the exclusivity and performance make the price acceptable. I was unable to order a power liftgate or parking sensors (two options the wife wanted) so she is less likely to use the wagon (ok with me) and cannot figure out why since both options are available on the E55 sedan but those options will probably be offered soon (the power liftgate should be standard). It handles like a sedan

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  02 CLK 430 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Frankiev - January 13 - 12:26 am

  I am very impressed with this car. It is very quick (espcially at higher speeds/top end), tons of fun, and the maintenance thus far has been minimal. This car is a real head turner. Since I owned I had the following problems: Fog light out, Temp guage loose (warranty), rear window shade replaced (warranty), Moon Roof cover slider defective.

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  Best Buy!!! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By GermanCarGuy - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my 99 C230 in April of 2003 with 68K miles on it. What a great car. I have had absolutely no problems with this car and now I have 101K miles on it. The W202 C Class is much more reliable than the newer W203 C Class. I know, my wifes 01 C240 has been nothing but problems from day one.

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  THE BEST CAR IVE EVER OWNED OR DRIVEN - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Businessman - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Drive this car and you will never be satisfied with any car but this car ever again. You will be changed forever! You get the thrill and feel of a race car with the comfort and appointments of a top of the line luxury sedan. This car is dangerous and safe at the same time. Dangerous because it is very fast and comfortable, yet safe with state-of the art safety features. Not for the undisciplined. You will speed!

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  A very good car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By homer - January 10 - 10:00 am

  the car is very good i really like it.now people think im rich.all my friends love it.its cool that i got a car that is the 2nd 1 in NJ.i also really like the steering and the ride is smooth.

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  2004 sl500r - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Buddly - January 10 - 10:00 am

  perfect in every way

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  really, this is the best car out there - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By GREAT CAR - January 8 - 10:00 am

  this car is one of a kind... i got the car because i wanted to downsize from the ford expedtion and still have the 3rd row seating... i looked at the other opttions and i relized i wanted a 3 point star on my hood. this car really drives like my jaguar. i take this car everywherere and my friends complememnt me. its just a great car and makes a statement

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  really, this is the best car out there - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By great car - January 8 - 10:00 am

  this car is one of a kind... i got the car because i wanted to downsize from the ford expedtion and still have the 3rd row seating... i looked at the other opttions and i relized i wanted a 3 point star on my hood. this car really drives like my jaguar. i take this car everywherere and my friends complememnt me. its just a great car and makes a statement

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  Great Cruiser - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Car Nut - January 5 - 7:26 pm

  I love cars and the Bluetec is fun to own. Diesel power is amazing, liked the pull/torque better than the 350 gasser. Smooth and quiet. Not a handling machine, but this is a lux cruiser, not a sports car. 7-speed trans is great with the diesels short power band, but its a little jerky when cold. Smaller brakes than the 350 with larger wheels, but same tested stopping distance. Styling is subdued and refined, so Ill like how it looks for the long haul. HK sound system is really good. Nav works well, updates quickly, but a pain to enter addresses.