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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  I love my MB 05 E320 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By VA-DC Driver - April 13 - 1:36 am

  We have been completely happy with our purchase. Owned it 3 years at this point, bought it 2 yrs old with 27k miles (cert preowned buy). It now has 72k. Sold my 04 C320Wagon (that we also loved) and bought the E Dont buy a Benz if you dont want to pay the premiums for servicing. This isnt a car for those who like to change their own oil. My Ford bought new and now same miles -yes cheaper to take care of but way way less of a vehicle. Changed brakes and tires at same intervel w Ford. I was warned by non Benz owners (jealous?) about alleged electronics issues but after 3 yrs havent had any probs.

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  Fun but Expensive to Maintain - 1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By JeffreySharp - April 13 - 12:23 am

  This is a beautiful car both interior and exterior and the perfect size for a family of 6-plus footers. It is powerful and drives wonderfully particularly on the highway. Be sure to get a warranty though because lots of things tend to go wrong and when they do they are expensive to fix. The engineering seems to be more complicated than necessary which makes any repairs expensive. Next car will probably be Japanese. Had an Acura before this and it went 9 years and besides regular maintenance it never went to the shop.

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  After 4 SUVs - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By cwr - April 12 - 10:06 pm

  So far I like this vehicle. Dealer & Salesman were superb!!!! I am still getting used to being back in a car.In (C) mode acceleration could be better.I am still learning the driving curve of this car. I have the "Sport Model".The "True" experience is if and I mean "if" you can paddle shift. WOW the vehicle becomes a totally different car! FUN!!!!! but hard to drive on city streets.

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  Best GT car you can buy!!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By MattD - April 12 - 1:00 pm

  This car is simply amazing. From its 604 horsepower to its elegant and civil nature, this car offers it all. If you are looking for an all out performance car you wan to take to the track, the SL65 is not for you. This car is all about the everyday driving experience. The power is nothing short of incredible. The car does have trouble getting off the line cleanly, but its purpose is not to be a dragster. The power is best used for passing, and passing is does. Hanlding is plenty ample but nothing to get all that excited about. Creature comforts, build quality, and techno-gadgets are what youd expect from a top-of-the-line Mercedes, but the COMAND system can be a bit intimidating at first.

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  Best Car Ive ever owned - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By aquilank - April 11 - 8:53 pm

  My main features: Noise and MPG. Almost no wind noise, very little road noise, and slightly more engine noise. Quieter than my 1995 Lexus ES 300, yet not nearly as quiet as the 2007 ES 350 I test drove. Best mpg in its class (compact luxury vehicles). I routinely get 26+ mpg on the freeway and 20-23 in town. It has tighter German suspension than the US and Japanese cars Ive been driving and it accelerates smoothly and quickly. All in all, its the most fun car Ive ever driven. I actually go out of my way to find longer routes because I enjoy driving it so much. Cons: $200 for 1 key, $2000 to use the installed phone, $500 to hook up my ipod. Ridiculous! Even Cobalt has this free.

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  No Buyers Remorse - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Richard Poe - April 11 - 3:00 pm

  I drove a Suburban (or some version of it) for 15 years, and was ready for a smaller, more driver friendly car. This is it. The V8 is great, mileage a surprising 19/22, and I love the handling and responsiveness compared to the suburban. Its so aerodynamic, I cant feel a gust when I meet an 18 wheeler. While storage is not what I was used to (how could it be?) it is still very good. This car had 7000 miles (put in service 1/07). It was CPO and I bought 1 extra year ($1595), gave me 5 1/2 yr, 100,000 warranty. Paid less for it than my last Denali XL, and feel I got a lot more car. It is sure more fun to drive.

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  One month in a GLK - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Dr. Sunumo - April 11 - 2:56 pm

  Traded in our BMW X3. Overall, the GLK is a better SUV. It holds more cargo, has good power and never feels heavy. The biggest problem to report has to do with electronic problems- from the power seats to the rear latch to the A/C controls which shorted out. Already needed additional oil and the system check light alerted us of engine/EC problems. Build quality is low to average. The COMAND info system is good but not great:the knob is placed in a very odd position behind shifter. Why? The brakes are soft and fade from highway speeds. It needs premium gas and at 14.1 MPG average, it needs plenty of gas. There is no place for cell phones- only in small cup holders. Little back seat room.

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  Look somewhere, anywhere else - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Candalerio - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Poor reliability, serivce, design and material quality sum it up. Endless trips to the dealer for repairs and each requires 4 days while they get parts. Requests to fix things are ignored because "its supposed to be like that". Resale value is a joke: it seems word is getting aorund. I dont understand how MB can have a good reputation producing cars like this. Obviously, I will never buy from this manufacturer again.

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  Love the car, BUT! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By suewelch - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Love all the cool features, gadgets, style and performance, BUT the reliability with the electronics are very disappointing... somethings always "broken" and the dealer usually is unable to duplicate. Do you think we invent the fact that it has a problem????

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  Awesome Cabriolet - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Camaro4spd - April 11 - 10:00 am

  No down points. Super car, good looks, great performance. Handles superbly. as smooth at 110 mph as it is at 25 mph.