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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  Fast, Slick, and Rare - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Todd - January 29 - 11:30 pm

  This is my first MB. This car is really fast. I love MBs understated sporty look. It is a really slick design that will stand the test of time. Engine has tons of torque, and it handles like a dream. It may not be as tight as a BMW M3, but the ride quality is second to none. It is the perfect blend of smooth ride and great handling. I took a chance on buying one because the reliability ratings are not that good, but so far no major problems, and nothing Ive had to go to the dealer for. I am extremely happy with my purchase.

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  1999 clk conv - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jim bergtold - January 29 - 10:00 am

  great looks and performance with excellent reliability

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  Too familiar with the service department - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SMB - January 29 - 9:50 am

  Like others, we bought the car thinking wed keep it for a long time. After 6 years and many, many trips to the dealer we are saying bye to the Benz. Thankfully, the warranty covered replacement of the entire dashboard assembly, brakes, phone, hatch and various other electrical issues. Unfortunately, post-warranty I was stuck with the bill for the struts, rotors, hatch (again) and a new $100 key! Like others, its burning oil at a rapid pace. The car drives well, is very stable and eats up highway miles. Performance in the snow is fantastic - better than our Land Rover! Cargo/people hauling space is great.

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  Premium Price -Poor Quality? - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Beautiful, Quality - January 29 - 12:50 am

  Beautiful car that gets a lot of looks. Fit and finish are right on par with what you would expect from a Mercedes. We have had many problems with the quality of this car: Broken interior panels, faulty anti-lock relay, faulty anti-lock brake pump, broken baffles inside gas tank (had to replace gas tank!). Now the ignition system has just failed. 53,250 miles, and many rented loaners. We are glad to have bought the extended warranty.

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  Navigation and service - 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By db - January 29 - 12:00 am

  False promises from sales and service. I always keep a $125.00 garmin gps with me, never wanna depend on MB nav system, Im scared it will take me into a deep ocean one day, entire car good but nav make it worst experience

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  Pristine condition, Luxury and Style - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gregg Schweikert - January 28 - 4:14 pm

  Vehicle is a beautiful, metallic grey, in pristine condition. Absolutley beautiful and sporty at the same time. This is an eye catching vehicle. Interior looks brand new and an extremely comfortable ride with a strong climate control system or you can open the sunroof and windows and enjoy the breeze. Vehcile has a low 36,072 miles and drives straight as an arrow down the highway.

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  2007 GL450 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Halil I Danismaz - January 28 - 2:43 am

  I bought the machine more than a year ago. Very stylish and powerful. Good for business and causal.

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  Oil leak, major repair - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Dennis - January 27 - 3:23 am

  I bought this car with 50,000 miles, and it looked showroom condition. In the last two years, I have had numerous maintenance costs, up to about 6000 and now it needs about 2 to 3000 to fix oil leak, and the catalytic converters need replaced, 1500 bucks more. Apparently everyone knows about the oil leak problem with these models. This was my first Mercedes, and last.

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  The Best ML 500 ever - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Louis - January 26 - 2:46 pm

  I had a 2002 BMW X5 4.4 and it was a nice SUV, but it doesnt compare to this new ML500. The quality of the ride, the comfort, performance and fun to drive. We love the changes that were made to the styling of the new ML.

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  Great drive, great price, thin quality - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Fridgemon - January 26 - 4:03 am

  In August 2004 I got a 2005 230 Kompressor after last having a MB 11 years ago (300E)--wow have they gotten fun. Its red, fast and really fun. Interior is well done. Exterior is as sporty as anything on the road. Technology is first class. But its got warranty issues: console lid broke, paint is chipping and the CD player just ate my AC/DC CD! Dealership has been good though. For a guy in his 50s, I cant imagine anything Id rather have for my daily driver.