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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  You had me with the test drive - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By oleschool74 - September 18 - 6:36 am

  This is truly a driving machine. I will never buy another brand again. This is my second benz and believe me...it is top of the line. City driving stinks but on the highway it is fuel friendly. If you love a smooth ride with Lux, this is the car for you...smooth riding my friend.

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  Down sized and love it - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By OTH7905P - September 15 - 6:50 am

  Mercedes has created a look in the C- Class which still holds distinction. I had not owned a Mercedes for years and decided to scale down from a larger Lincoln after seeing the C-Class, assuming the quality was good. I was looking for better economy in a small sedan with delux features. There are a few cars which fill this catagory but it was the overall look of the Mercedes which won me over. It is as quiet as the Lexus and the Infinity but with a better looking interior. I did not test drive the Acura, Volvo, Lincoln, BMW, or Audi because of the styling. Appearance has always been important to me. Figuring out the dashboard electronics has been confusing to this point. A matter of time.

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  2001 Mercedes CLK430 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By GGrier - September 15 - 2:00 am

  While possessing somewhat heavy steering this car really is an excellent performer. The V8 provides great low-end torque thats always available on command. The word that most comes to mind is "solid". Highway manners are superb even at near autobahn speeds. The voice- operated integrated Motorola v60 phone is a joy to use. The factory installed AMG-style spoiler kit is nice, but prone to damage due to the low front-end. Watch out for those curbs! And other than an absolutely deplorable radio unit (horrible reception) and and trunk-mounted CD changer (frequent skipping on bumps) the car is wonderful!

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  Pure Lemon - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Regretful buyer - September 15 - 2:00 am

  This is the first MB that I have bought and it has been one of the biggest mistakes in my life. First, the car has frequent break-ups, from the wipers, to the air conditioning, to the suspension, to light bulbs, to whatever you want to think about. Second, the service is a real NIGHTMARE in Garage Isla Verde in San Juan, Puerto Rico. My experience is that they are unreliable, arrogant, indifferent and totally foreign to customer service excellence. Service is as bad as the C320. At least they are consistent on that!!! NEVER fall into the same mistake of trading your BMW for a MB. Youll regret it for the rest of your life.

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  The MB E500 will take your breath away! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SDinPA - September 15 - 2:00 am

  Wow, what a car. I finally took my E500 on a road trip (to Baltimore) and Ive never arrived as rested and comfortable as I did in this marvel. The cars acceleration on the interstates is top-notch, no trouble passing with this car. Handling is flawless, the E is a true driving machine.

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  Stay away - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Joe - September 12 - 4:15 pm

  My car is 6 months only and has been in service 6 times many electrical problems. The build quality is terrible. Led lights going out, rattles, popping and cracking noises in radio, keyless go issues, loose parts p, engine errors, hard shifting tranny. Hoping I can get it declared a lemon by far the worst built car I ever owned it made my Cadillac look reliable. Most of my loaners were c300s as well and most of them had issues too. Mercedes you let me down back to bmw I go.

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  The Best SUV Ive ever owned - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By jluna - September 12 - 3:30 pm

  Leave it to MB. They hit the nail on the head with this car. I wanted the CDI, but it is not yet available in California. After having owned a Range Rover, a 4Runner and a Cayenne, I can say this is the best SUV out there. If not for the 911 Porsche, probably the best car out there.

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  Ferocious - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By xstr8nr - September 12 - 3:03 pm

  I have had the good fortune to own many very fast toys, but this car tops them all, including my 360 Ferrari. It is comfortable, quiet, elegant and ergonomically almost perfect. However, once you trounce the pedal it transforms itself into a raging beast. Cars going at freeway speeds are passed as if they were standing still and the acceleration keeps building and building. Its a little scary and I have track experience. In seconds you are at go to jail without stopping speed. The ultimate power trip.

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  Everyone should own one - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Lionel - September 12 - 2:00 am

  Purchased this car used with 55kms, it is now 7 years old and has 130kms. It continues to drive as well as it did 3 years ago and have not had any issues with it. Besides being smooth, comfortable, solid, reliable, powerful and surprisingly economical; it is has a sense of dependability and agelessness about it. It is a serious vehicle, you know, not a gimmicky in your face car,

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  MB just keep getting better and better - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Avi - September 12 - 2:00 am

  This is my 2nd E-Class and 4th MB. I have 2011 E-350 4Matic, AMG package with PI. Capri Blue with Tan interior The car rides great! It is very classy and sexy both inside and outside. The phone interface is great with the Iphone and the voice recognition is pretty good as well. The ride is excellent. After test driving this, I really did not want to see another vehicle.