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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  Enjoy the ride! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By JorgeGVB - December 22 - 10:00 am

  After owning 2 Jeeps, the ML320 is a pleasure to drive. You wont be disappointed.

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  Love our C320 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Wiley - December 22 - 10:00 am

  This is a very fun car to drive. The engine purrs, the features are excellent, and our dealership experience was great.

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  Love this car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By lisa - December 21 - 5:10 am

  I love driving this car. I have black on black and it is beautiful. Very smooth drive. I have another car and never want to drive it any more. The dealership told me not to press it until it goes over 1000 miles but yesterday I couldnt resist. You could never tell I was over 90. Could be a bad thing. Everyone loves the look of the car. I am short but I could see how someone taller would like more leg room.

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  NEW OWNER - 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By CHELL - December 20 - 11:54 pm

  JUST PURCHASED A WEEK AGO. TOO SOON TO RATE REPAIR FREQUENCY. SO FAR I AM PLEASED. LOVE MY NEW SUV

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  Never buy an ML - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By roverfanatic7 - December 20 - 9:24 pm

  Just traded in the 2006 Mercedes ML-350 with 116,000 miles on it. Worst car ever. Reliability was terrible. Resell is horrible. Basic maintenance is extremely expensive. Had battery troubles, alternator troubles, and electronic troubles. Horrible design. Electrical boards are under the seats, so you cant get anything wet. One time the wipers, alarm and locks went off just because the battery was dying AGAIN. Automatic liftgate never worked. Sick and tired of Mercedes and will never buy again. Traded it in for a 2013 Acura RDX.

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  2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class GLK350 4dr - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Schwarz - December 20 - 3:56 am

  I always dreamed of owning a Benz and this car I saw and loved it. After driving it for couple weeks now I have no regrets. Ride and Handling is perfect. Price is very reasonable for the car.

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  Blind Side Assist - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jreecole - December 19 - 8:06 pm

  Do not waste your money on this option it does not work.Mercedes new this because they put in their manual a warning about what this option would not do. The buyer does not get a chance to read the manual before buying.It says speeds exceeding your vehicle speed will not be detected. It also says it will only detect (10) feet off of your rear bumper. I know for a fact it will not pickup 10 sometimes. This thing could get someone killed if they dont read the manual before trying to use the alert. The front head restraints will not go all the way down.Talked to dealer ,they said that is the way it was designed. They are other small items that needs to be corrected

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  CLK320 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jim l - December 19 - 7:46 am

  This CLK 320 convertible was a definite surprise. The power and ride are much above expectations. No longer feel I made a mistake in selling my 911 to make room for this excellent Mercedes product.

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  Dissapointment - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By user - December 18 - 10:43 pm

  The car is a luxury vehicle (65K+) and driving it is really a pleasure. I got two kids and did not want to have a van, but a nice car that would have a lot of space inside. the vehicle is very functional, has 3rd row seats, etc.etc. I would not review it unless I had quality issues with it. The 7 speed transmission failed after 32 000 miles. The suspension failed after 38 000 miles. Warranty expires at 50 000 miles. After the two main components of the car failed I cant imagine what breaks next - the engine? And everything happened below 40K miles. Expect to put big $ after you are out of warranty and those issues keep on occurring.

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  Great Car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By carnut100 - December 17 - 11:30 pm

  This is also my 3rd SL of this series (prev 04 and 06). Tried to swith to either XKR or 650. Just not comparable. Love the improved handling, firmer brakes and increased power. Quality still perfect. Note to other buyers. Make sure you get the Michelin Tires (versus Continentals). Better ride.