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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  A Styling Classic - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By E. Maggio - May 6 - 2:33 am

  Among the earliest CLK 500 Cabrios shipped. Superb styling and remarkable acceleration with pedal to floor. Also drive a 67 427 stick Vette so I speak with some authority. Minor problems with drivers seat belt "presentor". Early navigation system difficult to use, improved later in year but dash/wood/knob styling looks much better than improved GPS version. Whats more important? Im a style geek. Gas mileage seems poor to some because take is small! Get 23-25 on highway, 17-18 city driving. Top operation slick. Hard to understand why anyone could not love this car. Still get many great comments into 5th year. Wish it ran on regular gas! More power not essential with this car.

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  Bar None - 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By itzsyk - May 5 - 5:36 am

  This is my 5th S-Class, second one from this generation. Over the years the car has grown be the real luxury sedan it is known to be. If youre looking for a sport sedan, go for the AMG or Panamera. If youre looking for the most relax daily driver on the market, you cant go wrong with this. The pedal feels firm where you can feel the power through each inch you press. For 13" front and 11" rear brakes, the car stops effortlessly. The 7-spd transmission is one of the best Ive driven so far. The car has been flawless over the years. The only problem Ive ever had, was to replace the wiper blades.

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  ML500 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Jagvinder Singh - May 5 - 12:40 am

  The ride is very smooth. Its very spacious fon the inside. Its easy to park, and/or able to be u-turned in a small space. It doesnt run, but instead flies, while kissing the road. Its a must-have toy, though it gives only 20.5 mpg on the highway.

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  Mercedes Failure - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By German cars - May 4 - 10:36 am

  Well, I wrote a review and was very pleased after 3 weeks. After a year, I had to get rid of, because I could not stand the tire/suspension problems. Car pulls badly to the right. Dealer says, "Oh, thats just the crown in the road causing that." No way! Wore out tires at 16000 miles and needs an alignment every 3 months. Car gets aligned, and runs true for a few months before starting to pull again. Sorry I ever doubted BMW. Do yourself a favor. Check out the driving characteristics first. If you go on the Mecedes forums, you will see many have the same disappointment.

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  Does not meet expectations - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Lucky1 - May 3 - 3:46 pm

  About 3 months ago I picked up my first MB: a 2001 C320, one owner, 51,000 miles, garage-kept, and appeared well cared for. I am GREATLY disappointed in the paint. The paint easily chips, exposes the metal below and begins to "spider" out with blistering rust underneath the surrounding paint. If left unchecked, the car will be a mess in less than a year. It reminds me of the 72 AMC Gremlin my father purchased for less than $2k. The paint job was horrible and did not last a year! Never in my wildest dreams did I think that paint would be a problem with this car. I have stuck to American cars until this one and I am sorry I did not purchase another Cadillac or a Buick. I miss my Cadillac!

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  Love my C - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jerry - May 3 - 3:20 am

  I am approaching my one year anniversary and love the car. I liked the interior of the luxury model so I bought it and the dealer installed a sports grille (the cost was nominal as the grilles are interchangable). I have had no problems at all. I have 4- matic and the car runs like a tank through the snow. The media center is easy to use and the premium sound is great. The Bluetooth was not compatible with my LG phone so had to buy a Motorola. The seats are comfortable and the MB Tek looks like real leather. A great car for the money.

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  The Large MB - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By TEDS M.B. - May 2 - 10:26 pm

  I found the auto to be overall very nice, but I think more detail to operating directions would have been better, such as a video tape or a small book like past models had. The explanation of operation needs upgrade.

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  Nice Car. A monster - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Nas - May 2 - 6:26 pm

  Great speed and handling! Love the outside sport look and the large room compared to my previous BMW cars. Will keep it for sure.

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  Love to drive my Mercedes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By beth - May 1 - 8:03 pm

  I drove my E350 960 miles one way. I got 30.9 miles per gallon. It gave me the pickup I needed to pass at 60 or 70 miles per hour. This car is great. I love it and wouldnt want another car.

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  Blue tec crazy - 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Mark - May 1 - 5:34 pm

  I did put larger tires on ..not run flates for better ride and handling My car is 2014 not a 2015 just love it