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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  G500 at 10,000 mi. 5 mos.old - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By G500CATDOG - January 12 - 10:00 am

  love it the feel and its looks and the attention it gets wanted a vehicle for longevitty had an oil leak that 2 times at the dealer to tighten a fitting and a broken door latch within 1000 mi. sqeeks like crazy enough to make you go mad selling dealer was real lame about fixing anything but another dealer has helped a lot the sqeeks seem to be temp. sensitive still keep a can of silicone handy ! still feels like a million. breaking nice at 1o,ooomi.

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  J.C.s SL - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By jecorbin - January 12 - 10:00 am

  An awesome machine. Had a 1998 SL500 and loved it. Amazing that Mercedes could improve on an almost perfect car.

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  Falling Short of Expectations - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By terrier - January 12 - 10:00 am

  Paid top dollar for what turned out to be a real dissapointment> Poor quality, and terrible dealer support (Claridges in Fremont, CA). Well never buy another car from them again.

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  My first Mercedez C240 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bogar987 - January 12 - 10:00 am

  First class automobile, inside and out. Fun to drive, I love it, I love it!

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  As good as it gets - 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By This is it - January 11 - 4:36 pm

  While growing up heading into NYC, I would see the Sl 500s and told myself that some day I would own one. Went to get my wife an E 350, and this car was sitting along side it. Having MB handle the depreciation, it was still above my range, but what the heck. Yes, the Corvette and the BMW are faster, but what a way to get there. I dont need to feel every break in the pavement. The transmission is superb and gets out of the way. The engine is silent. The breaks keep it safe (the one thing I miss on my 335i). I dont know what people dont like about the Bose Stereo, and I am an audiophile. If you have the bucks, this is the car.

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  Big & Green - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Mike Hlinak - January 11 - 2:43 pm

  I gave my Acura MDX to my daughter and was looking for another solid SUV. Fell in love with the MB GL450 at first sight. Beautiful inside and out. Then saw the 320CDI version and drove it. Couldnt believe it was a diesel. Who would believe that you could have large comfortably luxury in an SUV and get 27 mpg on the highway? I was only worried about recent MB quality surveys on Consumer Reports but felt a little better given that the GL was totally redesigned.

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  Great SUV! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By spikeya4 - January 11 - 7:03 am

  Having heard some initial horror stories about reliability, there was a tinge of nervousness mixed into all of the excitement of the new car. I had the ML350 built-to-order and waited over three months for its arrival. Since that point I can tell you it was worth the wait and the reliability has been outstanding! This SUV is solid both inside and out and my only problem was that the power lift gate would not seal (which was fixed promptly). I am very impressed with the quality and appeal of this vehicle and would recommend it to anyone in the midsize SUV arena, it far surpasses anything from BMW/Lexus/Volvo, etc.

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  Reliable family car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ahering - January 10 - 8:00 am

  Bought it with 35,000 miles and I have just put 37,500 more miles in 4 years. It had brand-new tires and brake-pads when bought and it is just about time to replace them. I have spent about $500 a couple of time extra for repairs (not regular maintenance) and my only complaint would be that I have to keep an eye on the engine oil level. If I drive over 70 miles per hour on a hot day, it will surely burn oil. Other than that I am pleased with this SUV.

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  Best Sedan - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Pete - January 9 - 10:40 am

  This absolutely the best driving sedan I have ever purchased. The CDI is a awsome engine. On highway driving 85mph, I am still getting 35mpg, and in the city I am getting 24mpg, but again I have a lead foot!

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  Its A benz!!!!!! - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By benzin - January 9 - 2:00 am

  This Car is Extremely wonderful I have put 112,000 miles on it since I got it and that seas a lot. Have had no problems at all. It’s a Mercedes what can I say but just wonderful.