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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  AWESOME!!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By BshPilot5 - November 13 - 10:00 am

  I just bought the car and it is without a doubt, the most fun you can have on four wheels! The performance and handling is phenomenal AND its a hardtop convertible. I get approached everyday and congratulated on my purchase. This is a MUST have if you have the money!

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  The SL experience - 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Ron Boatright - November 12 - 3:26 pm

  I have a beautiful 85 SL and an 04 E series for my wife and this 500 is the bomb. You feel special driving this car and it is the classic MB roadster experience. The handling is very responsive considering the weight of the car. The 18" rubber helps. The performance is all you ever need (Im willing to give up a little hair raising bullet speed for more creature comforts at my age). The torque is story here and just keeps coming. Very smooth and responsive. The cabin is very comfortable and at speed with the hard top on, youre hard pressed to remember youre not in a fixed top coupe. The trunk is ample and will hold a set of golf club or several shopping bags

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  Very Pleased - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By David - November 12 - 1:36 pm

  My second CLK Cabrio, traded a (trouble free) 2003. This car is a vast improvement over the already great former version. Beautiful to look at and fun to drive. Many great comfort features and trouble free at 2000 miles. Drove the 500, not worth the extra money, maybe the 550 will be better. iPod kit is awesome! MB has become more "Lexus-like" to compete, but the car is very refined. A little less plastic would be nice.

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  Nice changes for Benz - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Marty - November 12 - 12:43 pm

  I was not too sure on this vehicle or the BMW 328. Once I found out that Mercedes eliminated Chrysler from producing their vehicles I felt much better. My vehicle was produced in Stuttgart Germany, which is great and this first run of C class vehicles were produced their also. If you wait too long you will get South African models which would make me guess on the labor quality. The ride is smooth and the acceleration is quick. The navigation and 12 speaker Harmon Kardon 7.1 audio is top notch. This is an all around great car with much more prestige than a BMW. Great job Mercedes.

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  Fun in Chicago - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By liuhopafa - November 11 - 11:56 am

  Great riding car. Extremely quiet and yet fast as hell. Best on the open road. However, for slower driving the SL55 was more fun to drive in city traffic.

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  Not a SL - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Charles McBride - November 9 - 2:00 am

  Problem with phone and Elec.

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  the new E500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By STEVENC - November 9 - 2:00 am

  I bought mine came with the Sport Package, I like it so much with the interior design as well as the exterior design. I am only 33, if it was last year I would have got a BMW 540 instead. However, there is no way you could compare the 540 with this new E500! We are only to see more people at my age getting the new E-Class! Sorry, BM...

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  Good first car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Aronky - November 8 - 5:00 pm

  This car is my first car, it is very safe, I was going very fast and went over a cement pipe that runs under driveways and then hit a ditch. Car should have flipped but didnt and was very safe. I bought another Mercedes afterward. Love the iPod integration seats are comfortable and car looks great. Seats in back are generously spacey for a small car and trunk is huge. Acceleration is pretty good for a low end end Mercedes. Wheels and tires are great but this runs through tires really fast.

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  falling apart S430 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Tim - November 6 - 3:23 am

  I purchased this car used and have put 70,000 miles on it in 3 years. I have replaced every moving part in the interior, the Airmatic suspension was great until it had to be replaced at 92,000 miles, the stereo went out at 101,000 miles, the front end suspension has been replaced once and due again. Beautiful at the curb, powerful drivetrain, poor reliability. Last time I buy a MB. Going back to Lexus. Drove an 1989, put zero into major repairs on it.

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  What An excellent package - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By jdslovesmotos - November 5 - 9:40 am

  I recently purchased the ML-350 limited edition package and I truly love it. It is the most plush vehicle I have ever ridden in. Its new styling make it stand out and there is no car company with history and prestige like Mercedes-Benz. I truly love and would reccomend it to all.