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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  Red - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By TommyA931 - November 2 - 6:13 am

  This is my 7th red SL in 25 years, so Im pretty well pre-sold. I really loved my 97 SL500, but the 2003 is really a joy, and no more messing with the tops. On a 50+ mile trip at 65MPH it clocks better than 24MPG, goes to 15-17MPG when "romping" on it, but hey, thats why we buy red sports cars, isnt it? The CD-based NAVI stinks compared to my 2007 ML AMG, but you cant get lost in an SL anyway. As always, gets lots of eyeball, and is fun to drive! Ive also owned Porches and Jags, but like the SL best. Worth every penny!

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  GREAT SUV - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Nathaniel - November 2 - 2:00 am

  Best value, everything great about this SUV except gas consumption.

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  Land Yacht - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By JamesT - November 1 - 6:10 am

  Purchased new and maintained meticulously through the dealership. No worn out parts or service necessary, just preventative maintenance over the years. For a V12 this vehicle performs like it should; excellent fuel mileage for 12 cyl 3.5 ton car and amazing amenities. Rides nice drives nice still feels like new every day at almost 302k miles :) I recommend Mercedes to anyone!

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  Rough start to a great ride - 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By jlightfoot - October 31 - 6:02 am

  At 570 miles the pulley on the alternator wore a hole in the bottom radiator hose. I was 450 miles from home in west Texas. The dealership took a hose off a new car on the showroom floor to get me on the road, however it turned out the water pump had an incorrectly formed flange. The nearest water pump was 10 days away in Germany. They rented me a car to finish my journey. Once the new water pump came in and the old one was replaced the dealer I bought the car from in Dallas sent a truck 250 miles west to pick up the repaired vehicle, haul it 450 miles back east to my driveway. The service was incredible and Mercedes has my highest praise. Just returned from a 2,000 mile trip to Minnesota.

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  I love this car! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By James - October 30 - 6:40 pm

  I live approx. 26 miles from work. I needed a nice luxury car with good gas mileage since my last ride was a Hummer H2. This car has it all. Good gas mileage, a perfect blend of comfort and sportiness and luxury. Safety features are top notch. I feel very safe, secure, and pampered in this car. Funny thing with this car is the faster I drive it, the better gas mileage I get. I drove it to California and averaged about 33 mpg. I usually get 28 back and forth from work. First thing I did was put on some custom chrome wheels. So far had the car for 4 months and no problems. If you do purchase this car make sure you take time at delivery to learn all the great things this car can do

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  It Glides - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gold hill Gal - October 29 - 9:50 pm

  We have just had this care a couple of days but I can tell all it is an amazing car. On the way to work today it felt like I was gliding. It truly is out of this world. I am not real techie, but this car is very easy to drive and learn the tech.

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  ML320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Captain O - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I love this car. After two Ford Explorers (91 and 95) which were in and out of the shop at the drop of a hat, how wonderful it is to have a vehicle that is reliable.

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  745i Has NOTHING on the S-Class - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Adam85 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  The 2002 S430 is by far the best luxury car weve ever owned. We had a 2000 740i for two years, and we were very disappointed with the new 7. The new 745 looks like a Dodge Stratus is about the most confusing car Ive ever driven. The S-Class is a much better luxury car. It has a classy design, fabulous interior, and all the bells and whistles you would expect for 80K.

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  cdi - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By pag100 - October 23 - 1:50 pm

  This is the finest mb. What a car!!!

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  clk430 convertible - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By hellodi - October 23 - 10:00 am

  Great car...outstanding performance. Downside- blind spot, gas mileage, and small trunk.