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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  New level Benzing - 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By clsowner - November 25 - 2:44 am

  I came out of an E500 and got into the 2012 CLS 550 and there is no comparison from the power to the technology Im very impressed. I temporarily flirted with leaving mercedes and going with the maserati, or porsche panamera, but am thoroughly glad I saved the money (funny saying that about a mercedes) and went with the CLS. My only drawback is I have a newborn and didnt fully consider the crampness of the backseat especially with the rear entertainment system, which makes it very difficult to put her huge car seat in and out of the car, but thats my problem. Overall in comparison to my e500 there is none, this is new level Benzing at its finest from bumper to bumper

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  Fast and Fun - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By C Hilton - November 22 - 10:43 am

  It doesnt corner like my old 7 series BMW -- but this is perhaps the most fun car Ive ever driven. Classy, comfortable, easy to drive, and the raw acceleration is hard to beat. Nav is overly complex -- but the surround stereo is hard to beat. (goes through tires fairly quickly, though).

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  MY 2011 550 S CLASS 4 MATIC - 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By bokewo - November 21 - 5:47 pm

  I JUST BOUGHT MY 2001 S CLASS AND IT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE BEST CAR i HAVE EVER OWNED. i HAVE HAD MANY BMW"S AND 2 AUDIS. i LOVE THIS SO MUCH MORE. iT IS IN A CLASS BY ITSELF. i DID LOOK AT Thre new audi 8. It has this big grill which some like and some hate. From the drivers door back it is boring. From the back is it a 4,6,or 8. Who knows. The s class is just that, class.You must drive it to realize what it can do. I have the P2 package which has the most comfortable seats ever. The sides of the seats inflate as you go around a turn to keep you in your seat. I have the 20 inch amg wheels and the new magnatite black color. It stands out so much and has a young look. Nit your dads s class.

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  E320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ed781 - November 21 - 10:00 am

  Outstanding performance and reliability. Quick and easy to handle in traffic. Great turning radius. Brakes are smooth and solid. The silver color shows no dirt or dust. Truly a fine Mercedes Benz.

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  Awesome Dream Truck! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By 1cna1 - November 21 - 12:33 am

  I really enjoy owning this truck. After all of the reaserch I have done on it, I finally found the one that suited my needs.

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  Easy to repair.. and you better be good at it. - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By spammeplez - November 20 - 10:19 pm

  Trans went out at 150000 miles. Electrical problems and an emission gremlin that has never gone away. At 200000+ miles. Oil seep that Ive just lived with for 6+ years of ownership. Annoying but easy to deal with. Squeaky belt but since none of the components running off the belt has ever been replaced.. guess its not that big of a deal. Fuel pump went out but easy to repair plus it was the original. Again not a big deal.. Lots of little things but parts are easy to find, just as cheap/expensive as any car. But easier to repair than any Japanese car Ive ever owned. Just need to figure out the little tricks the engineers designed to make repairs easy. This car will go 300K miles.

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  1999 E320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rich - November 20 - 3:16 am

  I expected to have issues with a 7 year old car but it has been excellent. I drove it 23,000 miles this year (hwyway and in town) without an problems. I had one catyltic converter replaced under warranty. I had a two dash light bulbs burn out but the dealer sells the tools to quickly remove the a/c and speedo units so I did it myself for $30. The head light lenses need to be buffed out ($75) and it would look much newer than a 99. It uses oil, but MB says to expect a quart every 625 miles but it does much better, around 2000 miles. I am not totally sold that 0W40 mobile one is exactly right for this car even though that is the MB recommendation.

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  A Truly Dream Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Donald Ray - November 19 - 6:56 pm

  From the first day I took delivery, this car turns heads wherever I go. It has style and grace and is a true joy to drive. Worth every penny of the price. I have had three Mercedes in the past (450 SL, 300 D, 380SE) and this one is the best. It is a 4 door sports car. Handles better than my former C5 Corvette.

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  Perfect - 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By connor111 - November 18 - 2:28 am

  This car is perfect. Exterior is nice, interior is extremely luxurious. Everything about this car is perfect.

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  benz - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By danilo - November 15 - 2:00 am

  its simply a benz