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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  Rumbling gas guzzler - 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Chuck Sutnick - April 22 - 4:33 pm

  New for 08, its exhaust is tuned to rumble. Its too noisy on acceleration, and constantly hums in the rear compartment. I have an 07 S550 which gets 26.6 mpg on the highway. This S63 gets 18 mpg if you keep the speed at 70. Otherwise, mileage drops dramatically. Acceleration is awesome. The car starts out as a jack rabbit and turns into a missle. Before you know it, youre doing 60 mph in a 30 speed zone, and 90 in a 65. The interior is a superb improvement over the last generation. The dash is beautiful. The COMAND has 4 ways to get to a function making it user friendly.

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  Wish I Had Known - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By zelliesmom - April 22 - 5:13 am

  Within the first 2 yrs. of owning this 2000 C-230 Komp, bought used, I have replaced the drivers side mirror, the seal got cracked and the fluid leaked down the side of my door, windshield wiper motor went out, had it replaced for $500, 3 months later, it went out again, I find out its the transmission for the motor thats bad, $1080 for that, now both have to be replaced, cup holder broke, no cd player in a Benz? Heat & air work sometimes. Sometimes it blows, sometimes not, temperature works sometimes, sometimes not. Now I owe more than its worth and cant get out from under it.

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  Im Impressed - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By 200%Dave - April 21 - 7:06 pm

  Im not easily impressed with Cars and Trucks but my 2007 ML320 CDI has greatly impressed me. The 3.2L diesel engine coupled with the 7-speed electric-shift transmission make very responsive package. On a recent 1300 mile road trip and averaged 24 MPG while driving at 75 MPH. The driver controls do take a bit of getting used to. The transmission shift lever (switch), while logical, is unconventional. Mercedes has the best ever cruise control. The Harmon Kardon sound system is great. The down side is the price of the vehicle and Ultra Low Sulfur fuel can be a bit difficult to find at times. For off-roading the standard tires will need to be replaced with something more aggressive.

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  Huge gas saving - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By R Class Limo - April 20 - 7:06 pm

  Mercedes built and Mercedes quality! So far I have driven this vehicle 20K miles (city & highway) and am getting an average of 25 mpg. Why we are not adopting diesel technology here in the USA is beyond me, makes much more sense than the Hybrid which can never be economical for the larger vehicle until the battery technology is radically improved. Mercedes service is expensive, they sell the bluetec additive at $50/gal, the same solution (same ISO#) can be bought at Pilot truck stops for $6/gal?

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  SL500 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By hhoover2 - April 20 - 10:00 am

  Not for very tall or overweight folks

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  Best All-Around Car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JD - April 19 - 11:06 pm

  Of the C-class models, the C320 Sport Sedan is the best. It has the power to make driving fun, the styling to envy and the fuel economy to appreciate.

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  One Nice Benz - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By SPH - April 19 - 11:26 am

  If you are a Benz fan this car is a must have. Sporty, yet classy. It turns a lot of heads and gets plenty of questions asked about it. The V8 gives you more than enough power.Its very fun to drive, and worth the money paid for it.

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  Great luxury family car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By R350 new owner - April 19 - 1:40 am

  The interior is one of the most luxurious; the exterior needs to grow on you (my wife loves). The $5000 off invoice unadvertised special makes it the best buy. Handling and noise level are great. Maybe some of the options should be standard. Overall, great family car to drive if you dont want a minivan or the full size SUV.

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  2013 is a great car - 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rvirk - April 18 - 10:02 pm

  I test car whole bunch of new cars for extended periods including Audi A6, Audi Q5, BMW 5 Series and even Jeep Cherokee. But I decided to buy Mercedes E350 Sport. Audi A6 was strong contender but went with E350. Car feels assured, is quieter inside the cabin than Audi or BMW. Not to mention that I got a gteat deal on it nearly 10K less than MSRP. The value for money, none other could beat.

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  SL55 AMG - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By sl amg - April 18 - 11:26 am

  Awesome power. Fun to drive. navigation system is very cumbersome and difficult to use. There is a lag when you jump on the accelerator.