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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  Slick and quick - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By renegade - October 30 - 10:00 am

  The E500 is an exceptional automobile in that the ride is well controlled and yet it is not harsh by any means. It has ample power and the adaptive transmission is silky smooth. The style is not in your face so to speak, yet it is very tastefully executed.

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  Great new Mercedes - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By paul - October 27 - 3:33 am

  We have had the C-300 since Nov. 2007. Excellent performance, no problems other than the tire pressure monitor decides when it wants to activiate. And does not tell you which tire is low. Otherwise just a super car!

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  Dream to drive, needs a few upgrades - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BENZ4M3 - October 26 - 7:23 pm

  Have been driving my 2010 E-class for 3 months. Great car. Combines the best of a BMW and Lexis: sporty handling of a BMW but with the well designed, classy interior of a Lexis. Awesome, voice-activated computer system. Tell the car what you want it to do, and it does it. In fact, it does so much that it takes quite a bit of time to figure out how to use all the systems. Im still learning. A few shortcomings: leather seats, automatic trunk closing, push-button start, and air conditioned drivers seat should be standard. No eyeglass holder. Two real annoyances: drivers seat does not automatically push back when car is stopped, and car must be running for garage door opener to operate.

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  Never buy anything else! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ex LR Owner - October 25 - 11:23 pm

  I have owned many high end SUVs. The M Class is by far the best. Lets clear a few things up. It is a Mercedes. Dont expect to drive a year and never have any problems. That said, I have put 15,000 miles on this truck in less then a year and only had 1 minor problem. MB service is amazing, you never pay for anything. The truck handles like a sports car, no joke. I dumped a LR Disco for this and never looked back. The dealer is a pleasure to deal with. Dont buy this unless you are a real driver though. If you dont know what an apex is, if youre no interested in a 0-60 time, if you dont care about road holding index, this truck is not for you. You simply will not value it.

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  First MB - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By johnrae - October 24 - 10:16 pm

  Test drive BMW 3 series and found the C300 far better comfort than BMW. Love the sharp turn it handles very well. I used to go over the line but now I stayed between the lines. Gear shift you cant hardly feel, Smooth. Great car!

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  My E320 experience after 14,000 miles - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jason64 - October 24 - 5:20 pm

  The car is solidly built, like a "bank vault on wheels". It handles quite well in the rain at high speeds. I get an average of 25 MPG combined local and highway driving, computer showed 30 MPG at one time during a two hour freeway trip averaging 75 MPH speed. If you are looking for a safe, well engineered car with the latest technology, this is the car for you.

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  G500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By SALLY - October 24 - 10:00 am

  BEST BUILT TRUCK I HAVE EVER HAD ! POWER , LOOKS , SAFE !

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  Good Bad Ugly - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ca_oh10 - October 24 - 10:00 am

  Good. Very powerful on highways. Excellent highway performance. Gets you there safely. Bad. Original tires were poor. AM Radio didnt work for 18 months. Ugly. Paint seems to chip easily. Style has gotten dated quickly in my opinion.

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  Nice Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Charl - October 24 - 10:00 am

  roomy, quite, strong, confortable

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  perfect - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By d knight - October 24 - 10:00 am

  simply mercedes, a driving machine. of all the cars I have owned, 22 in my life, this automobile is by far the best and most fun to drive. The smoothness of the ride is impeccable. The horsepower, demanding. I have accidently had the car up to 110mph and it felt like I was going 55!!