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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  Best car for the money - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Tim Bullis - April 20 - 4:20 am

  I go through new cars every 6 months; this car might end up being my last one for a long time. I enjoy driving this more than all the other high end cars Ive ever owned. I just recently traded an 05 BMW M3 conv for this and Im thrilled I did. It has more guts than I expected and drives better than any other car Ive owned. (except for my BMW 745IL which was delclared a lemon) had that for 3 months. I get so many compliments on the style of this car its unbelievable. Nothing else looks like it and Mercedes didnt duplicate it and make copies of different versions to beef up their sales like other manufactures did. The interior is tight for a larger person but being 58" its perfect!

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  Maybe my favorite car so far. - 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By DR Wilson - April 19 - 2:04 pm

  This car is described as a mini S class. Thats accurate. Its fun to drive, very comfortable and feels like a luxury sedan should. My third Mercedes, its by far the best one yet. The other two were an 12 300C and a 14 glk 350. I respected the first one and like the second one. The new C is way ahead. I got the car during a February snow storm in Maine. Its excellent in the snow. Details: 1. Ride and handling are outstanding. Weve taken it on two, long road trips. At the end of the day we were never tired. 2. The interior is elegant. The Burmeister sound system is terrific--very close to a live event. The front seats are very comfortable. 3. The interior is design and materials are beautiful. MB really got this right. 4. The engine/transmission combination are a fine match. The turbo 4 has more than enough grunt to move the car very quickly. Switch from standard "C"omfort setting "S"port setting, and the car is even quicker. 5. Its very economical--not that its a reason to buy a Benz. In 8,000 miles, I have averaged 29 mpg. Its not without its shortcomings. The back seat is still tight, but that comes with smaller cars. The BIGGEST DRAWBACK for me is the infotainment system controls. The system on the previous generation was reasonably intuitive. This new track pad is a redundant nuisance. I brush it, and the radio station changes. I constantly referring to owners manual to do things. I find that the satellite radio cuts out more often in this car than in previous models. Its probably because the antenna is embedded in the rear glass and not on the roof anymore. Suggested option packages: A. Blind spot monitoring; B. Premium package which gives you the Burmeister stereo; C. Command package which includes voice activated control of your phone, radio, and navigation.

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  If you cant afford the Millennium Falcon - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By wolvesq - April 19 - 12:55 pm

  I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but couldnt qualify thanks to defective eyesight. So I compensated and bought a C63 sedan. The raison detre of this car is the its bellowing, angry, demonic V8. Lay into it and the thrust is unreal; life-affirming if youre into that sort of thing. Much more low end torque than a non-turbo 911 (my former car,) an M3 (which I test drove,) or almost anything else south of $100k. An M3 is more lithe and a better track car, but for day to day driving, I think the C63 is near perfect if you enjoy a T-Rex under your hood. I picked the sedan over the coupe for practical and aesthetic reasons. Note you pay the inevitable mileage tax for the insane power

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  The name backs up its quality - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Blazing1120 - April 18 - 10:00 am

  The car has never broken down or needed repair,and gets over 25 miles per gallon.Seats are very comfortable,as is the ride.Styling is very sharp especially after its been polished.What the car NEEDS is more power(You have to plan to get on highway or control the shifts).The car also needs fog lights to improve visibility at night,and a higher quality sound system with an in- dash CD player or changer.

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  Simply E-xcellent - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Krishan - April 18 - 10:00 am

  Superb finish and outlet...I dont regret selling my Lexus

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  Heave Ho It must Go - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John Greenhill - April 17 - 9:16 pm

  Bought it brand new, first Benz! Platinum Blue, beautiful to look at.....if you drove by the dealership...cause that is where it was most of the time. Horrible reliability, bordering on lemon! Never again, the dream is over!

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  Great MBZ - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By 2008cclass - April 17 - 4:23 am

  Put 1000 miles on it so far. Had for one week. Red on black is very sporty and looks great plus is very fun to drive. For a 4 hour trip worked great and comfortable for 3 tall adults and 1 labrador. Everyone stops and looks. Highly recommended.

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  Awesome Car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Finney - April 17 - 3:30 am

  This car rocks! It is so much fun to drive, and gets to designated speed very quickly... electronics work very well, and the entire car in general is very comfortable

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By amonte - April 17 - 1:26 am

  I now have a little over 3k miles. Very responsive on the road. I like all the features. Tried other cars like the BMW 5 series, cant compare. This ride is smooth, great sound system, and surprisingly good gas mileage for a v6. Im very happy with my first MB.

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  E55 Rare to find Only 2000 w210s Total - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By 4Everomeo - April 16 - 9:36 pm

  I love this car. If you find one in good condition, with low mileage. Purchase and you will understand. At least test drive it! 0-60 in 4.9 and plenty of room for the kids and groceries. High forged pistons and AMG engine quality. Much better then Mercedes Benz alone. Buy a car with 100k miles, and your buying an AMG motor that will last almost twice as long. Unbelievable gas mileage, computer states exactly 24mpg on the highway at 75mph!!! An aggressive yet subtle styling. Very wide 275/45 rear tires. Even the elderly notice these! Took it to the dealer once after it was cleaned up, and was very very happy to see a few sales people line up to the window to look at my then 6year old car