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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  former BMW owner converted - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By DWL - July 23 - 10:00 am

  As a previous BMW owner I only abandoned the brand when their styling went its current direction. Im so glad I did. My SL 500 is simply the best car I have ever owned or driven. There is nothing about it I would change. Its a perfect car.

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  First Mercedes - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dlaindy - July 22 - 12:46 pm

  The minute I drove off the lot I new this car was better engineered than any previous car Ive purchased. I do not purchase a car to impress others but this car has certainly impressed me. Handling and power makes driving fun. Interior design of dash and controls very handsome without being over done. Extremely pleased and have been surprised by the mileage (25 mpg) for an AWD car. Havent taken any long distance drives as yet, Im sure it will be even better yet.

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  Very Good Car, Problem Free. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jason brasil - July 21 - 10:00 am

  great exterior design, extremely eye catching. people stood around my car and kept looking while i was not near the vehicle. very quiet and comfortable ride. i traded my Lexus for this. i never received any attention from the public with the Lexus. however, with this MB, young women came up to me and complimented how nice the vehicle is. in some of these occasions. on another occasion, a highway patrol (a lady) stopped me for speeding but instead of sending me a warning, she complimented the vehicle and told me the road was slippery and requested that i drive safe. this is some experience i never had. no wonder, they said driving is an experience.

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  Uberwagen - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Daryl - July 21 - 10:00 am

  This is two vehicles-in-one for our family. My wife loves using it for driving the kids around, shopping, whatever. She especially likes the on- the-spot braking. I love taking it on camping trips. It has tons of room for all our camping gear (family of 4) - especially when I shift the back seats forward to increase the cargo area. No other SUVs I looked at (at the time) had the same blend of cargo capacity, handling and ride. You do feel like you are driving a tall euro sedan - cornering is quite remarkable (due to ESP) for a vehicle so tall. We have had a few minor issues requiring dealer service but overall have been pleased with its reliability.

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  Drives as good as it looks - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By E Par - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Fell in love with the look of the car. Highway driving is a real pleasure. The car is smooth, comfortable, very fast and I get up to a suprising 30 miles per gallon. City driving is great, too, due to the comfort of the car. The only thing I dont like are the cup holders. They are not sturdy enough and the secondary holder is not big enough of the traditional large drink you get from fast food restaurants.

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  GREAT CAR - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By KEN O - July 21 - 10:00 am

  NICELY PACKAGED WITH QUALITY THROUGH OUT. EXCELLENT ACCELERATION, RIDE AND ROOM. KEYLESS GO, AUTOMATIC HEAD LIGHTS, AND LIKE FEATURES MAKE THIS CAR EASY TO USE AND DRIVE.

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  2003 S500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By FRANK - July 19 - 8:36 pm

  Excellent vehicle. has power style and ride. I get 24 miles/gal highway. Not good in snow. Other than regular oil change very little maintenance cost. Excellent sound and heating system. Handles well.

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  Almost Perfect - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By RADJ - July 17 - 10:00 am

  This is the best (6th) diesel I have owned, bar none. Purchased from the original owner with 124K on the odometer. It is a very refined automobile with a simple, economical, engine. It is not a stoplight racer but will devour large expanses of highway with aplomb. Fuel economy is consistently 32-34mpg with mostly highway driving at 65-70mph. I highly recommend this model and this particular year. It was the last year for this body style. It has a larger fuel tank than the new models. So far (at 127K), everything works, though not always perfectly.

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  Outstanding fun family car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mackie4u - July 17 - 10:00 am

  Good styling, good driving, excellent fuel economy

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  not like 1999 model - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jac 45 - July 17 - 10:00 am

  The new one is smaller and much more plastic. Driver seat is comfortable, passenger is not. Sure, it has more zip but it should be called a 200 series as that is the size of the body. Nowhere near the space for passengers in rear.