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:

• 

  Like a rock. - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Senior happy ownwr - September 7 - 9:50 am

  Second buy of E320 series. This one the best, Love dealership and have been careful to adhere to maintenance schedule. Drive long distances and car is quiet and powerful. Ride is stable and responsive. Small electrical problems, radio ect but not a bother. No major repairs, highly recommend. Car is safe in my opinion. I have an extended warranty issued direct by Mercedes and it does provide comfort that if the day comes for some serious trouble that it will be taken care of, at no cost.

• 

  Would Buy Again! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By auntgranny - September 7 - 2:00 am

  Purchased used private party 9 mos ago w/30,000 miles;now 46,500. Replaced the brakes & driver window switch. Dealer service outstanding. Car is fab-more comfortable & better gas milage than my old Grand Cherokee. Average 20-22 mpg which I think is great for SUV.

• 

  Love the car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By sreeni - September 7 - 2:00 am

  In terms of performance, the car is very enjoyable to drive. Its handling is excellent, and the seat comfort cannot be beat. The interior dashboard and controls are far more appealing than the S class, Lexus, and Infinity. Only BMW and Audi come close. I hope its reliability is as good as my first impression.

• 

  A Tour DeForce - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Kirk Bryan - September 4 - 9:50 pm

  I bought this with 70,000 miles and it drives like new. The comfort is incredible. The multicontour seats fit like a glove. The armrests and steering wheel are in the perfect position. The head rest doesnt push my head down to my chest like all the new cars do. The sound system is the best I have ever heard. I keep finding more features to use. The mileage better than most smaller v6 SUVs. None of the problems some people talk about. Too bad the economy forces me to sell it.

• 

  Great to buy used - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By rlovelace1 - September 3 - 5:30 am

  I purchased my SL55 AMG in Feb of 2010. The bad... had to repair air suspension on front and back. The good... MB significantly reduced the cost of the repair. The excitement of most new car purchases ware off in a month or so. Not this car. I look forward to driving this car every day. Performance is very good, looks are great with top up or down. I cant belive how well it handles based on the weight being over 4,300 lbs. It goes where ever you point it with plenty of power on tap. It is a shame this care does not come with a license to speed. Pay the extra cost for the AMG. It is definately worth it.

• 

  Surprisingly satisfied with new ML350 - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By skytop - September 1 - 1:20 am

  I was all ready to purchase the larger GL SUV but this ML350 offered far easier driving/maneuvering plus good MPG while still providing excellent interior space. I have enjoyed this vehicle and have become aclimated to peculiarities such as low indicator location and overly complex button crazed Command system. Push the dash info button and even without the NAV turned on, the car displays the street, town and heading you are driving on. Neat. Handling, suspension is sophisticated. Loaded with 700# of big people (4), the 350 drove virtually the same as if unladen. It didnt even squat as my previous big GM SUV did when loaded. MPG has been the big surprise. It gets 17/23.

• 

  Compact, Luxury, Sport Sedan in One - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jon - August 30 - 12:16 pm

  This is an amazing car, i got it used at 21k miles, i like the AMG styling (bumpers),sport handling, excellent brakes cross-drilled rotors up front, engine response is great, love the variable valve timing switching from low to high note. 7-speed auto is awesome and the manu-matic shifting is crisp. Seats are comfortable and controls/buttons are placed within reach. Trunk space is big and lots of room.

• 

  nice car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mmaccioni - August 30 - 5:10 am

  this car seems to be a considerable upgrade from the c32.

• 

  ML350 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Teddybear77772222 - August 29 - 11:33 pm

  Can’t emphasize enough how quiet this car is at all speeds and on all road surfaces. Responsive V-6 engine with smooth 7 speed auto transmission. Steering wheel paddle switches for manual shifting. 2007 fuel specs are 17/21! Good visibility front and sides. Sirius satellite, Harmon–Kardon sound and Nav systems are top notch. GPS/Nav entry not limited while driving. Glove box f-jack for connecting iPod or other systems. Roomy front seat driver and passenger room including foot floor width---no front wheel fender to contend with. Comfortably fix 3 adults in rear seat. Wide opening doors for easy access. Auto-rear lift gate operates from fob and driver’s door switch. Great SUV!

• 

  A good mix of power and luxury - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By K. Lee - August 29 - 10:40 am

  This is a great car. I moved up from an Acura CL-S, so it was an upgrade on all fronts. The acceleration is silky smooth. For the most part, the engine is quiet but still can let out that great sounding growl when you really jam the pedal. Theres no cooler sound than rolling through a short tunnel and hitting the gas just before the mouth Its like a sonic boom! Mine is fully loaded, with the P3 package and just about every option available. I think the P2 package is enough though, and you dont need silly options like the automatic trunk opener/closer.