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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  My favorite of all times. - 2024 Mercedes-Benz 300
  By Chris - May 19 - 11:23 pm

  Hope I can afford one in 40 years

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  Very good car - 2012 Mercedes-Benz 350
  By Robert. Jewell - December 15 - 7:52 am

  Very dependable car.

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  5* - 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLS
  By Rev Limiter father Dr Christmas Carl Dozier - April 19 - 12:29 pm

  Rev Limiter father Dr Christmas Carl Dozier, it is have a Smooth transition ,Ride , and the handling, is at its finest quality, and Consideration of Confidence CLS Class is It Finest quality decision you Can make***** and it is a Car with Beauty and fashion Style Classes that will Turn your Heart disease , Life Style Beauty Changes,

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  Mercedes Benz G Wagon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By ajm@mcrobertsinc.com - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Great vehicle, after the dealer removes all of the door rattles. For a hand made vehicle, Mercedes Benz needs to put effort in delivery of a rattle free vehicle, including wind noise. The dealership took care of all issues. Hopefully Mercedes Benz will take note of the money they are paying dealers to take care of factory issues. The more miles it has the better it drives, i.e., loosens up.

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  i had to exchange my first ml 320!!!!!!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By jimC - December 27 - 10:00 am

  There were just too many problems with my first ML320, the computer system got messed up for no reason and shut down my car!!! However, they let me exchange for a brand new one. The second one had no problems.

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  this sucks - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By j4you - December 24 - 10:00 am

  the car is beatiful inside and out, however being at the dealership over 10 times in the last year has soured my affection for m-bs in general. the dealership/ service department is nice enough, but thats not why i purchase my car. too many problems for a car that cost over 62,000. previous car was a bmw 330ci, in the three period i took the car in 3 times. too much money for such low quality workmanship.

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  I bought two! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bonnie Lunt - December 23 - 10:10 pm

  This is my second M-class car. Living in the Northeast where we get black ice in the winter, I have had excellent performance from this series under terrible road conditions. I traded my heavy four wheel drive pick-up for the heavy M-class. I not only feel secure, but the ride is much more comfortable. Its not the most fuel efficient, but I think its worth the tradeoff.

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  Excellent car, minor glitches - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By - December 22 - 10:00 am

  My first MB. Problems: 1. Central air duct broken at delivery - replaced at no cost (warranty). 2. Key receptor dead at 8000 miles - replaced at no cost (warranty). Note: Service arrived on the spot in < 10 minutes! Handled the case superbly. Overall: Rides wonderfully. Seats are great (lateral support + comfort). Steering feel excellent. Brakes very good. Stereo (BUT: NO CASSETTE NEEDED, THANKS!) Very quiet, yet engaging.

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  A 2-wheel Gas Guzzler! - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By foolcertified - December 22 - 4:04 am

  Leased a 2-wheel drive 2011 GLK-350 from Caliber Motors w/bad lease tuin April this year to replace the 2008 E350 due to too many unsafe blind spots. After driven 3 months of the GLK-350, here are my personal driving experience of this half-breed SUV:Pros:Not too high, not to low, the height is just about right, not too many blind spots as the 2008 E350, better visibility, quiet, good chairs, maneuverability okay Cons:A terrible 2-wheel drive GAS GUZZLER!Gas consumption worse than E350, worse than 1999 ML320.Soft brakes, hesitant accelerating, ugly side mirrors,rear blind spots,worst turning radius, stupid GPS navigator,knob control,small screen,a German JOKE! Bad heat penetrating moon roof

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  Mercedes E 350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jim Ford - December 21 - 9:23 am

  The car is a joy to drive with great performance but has proven to be a little touchy with some smaller issues. We have had problems with seat belt sensors going off even when the belt is fastened. The check oil level light comes on (twice in spite of service) when the oil is fine. The air conditioning is very noisy and the dealer says that is the way it is. Engine performance and fuel economy is terrrific. At times the transmission does not shift smoothly.