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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  One of my best Mercedes! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By b36pilot - June 1 - 10:00 am

  This is my 21st MBZ. It has been super reliable. My servicing dealer, MBZ of El Dorado Hills, CA has been absolutely fantastic. When it came close to 50,000, the end of the warranty, they went through the car thoroughly and replace any component that they felt would present an issue, including the transmission. I am now at 58,000 and they have continued to take care of anything that has fai

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  Cogito Ergo Zoom - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Teutonophile - June 1 - 10:00 am

  I have been waiting for this car since I was a boy, when I first saw the 300SL in Cleveland. Everything done well, but I would improve the quality of the interior a wee bit. I know one must consider damage by climatic elements in a convertible, but if the leather shows too much wear, one can always replace it.

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  2004 C230K 1st Benz - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By magicbyswh - June 1 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Benz. I actually went to the Dealer to look at a BMW 325. After driveing both and comparing the price the Benz had a better ride and price was 5000 dollars less. But I like Red and this was the perfect color. YOu can tell immediately the quality is 1st class. For the quality you get for the price this is probably the best deal on the market. I have had Honda Accords in the past. Everyone has Accords. I have not seen another Red C230K on the road. One bad thing now is everyone knows when I am around. When they see this car they know it is me.

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  Mercedes E500 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By martin - June 1 - 8:40 am

  Great car! Love the performance and interior layout. Harmon-Kardon sound system is superb!

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  My 5th E-Class Mercedes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bob Russell - June 1 - 3:53 am

  Snappy performance. Sportscar handling, Nice fuel economy. Bose sound system and satellite radio make for wonderful cruising on a trip.

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  Love It! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Dodie - May 30 - 1:00 pm

  This car is expensive to fix but I love it! I bought this car used without a warranty and everything I have had to fix i.e. brakes, shocks, oil changes, both head lights, a tune up; was not covered by warranty anyway. The dealership I go to now gives out airline miles according to how much you spend getting your car repaired so that makes the cost of maintenance/repairs somewhat better for the consumer.

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  Not what they used to be. - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By waccamaw neck - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Had to rework braking system @35,000. Back seat is child-sized only. Reported resale is very good.

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  Found a lemon - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DFreeman - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Its a beautiful car, no question. My problems have been astronomic. Replaced the tires at 25000 miles. Poor wear in city driving. At 28000 miles I started burning a liter of oil per month. By 30000 miles, it had increased to 3 liters per month. Have since had the engine rebuilt. Mercedes said a new engine would cost 30k but to rebuild it would only cost 10k. They opted for the cheaper alternative. Other than that the car is fun to drive. Not crazy about the cd player in the trunk. Handles the road and is very attractive.

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  Athletic - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jon H - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Can only be described as an athletic car. Durable, fun, quick, handles solid, built like a tank. Manual Transmission is a MUST. Good on gas. Engine sounds nice with sports package. Great wheels. Fantastic interior. Leather is of the best quality. I like everything about it.

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  E Class repeater - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Dave - May 28 - 6:53 pm

  This is my second E Class, and Im spoiled rotten. When you compare price vs. features and quality on other cars, the "base" E Class is a terrific value. Turning circle comparable to my kids Jeep Wrangler.