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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  Great SUV IF its working - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By flip900rr - August 18 - 1:28 pm

  We purchased an 2006 ML500 a year ago. It has been in the shop at least 4 times and over $10K of repairs. I am glad we purchased the extended warranty and it is still covered. Thank God! Anways, if this suv was just reliable it would be perfect. My wife and I love driving this vehicle. The problem it is always in the shop. We are thinking about trading it in because it a hassle taking it to the shop every 3-4 months. This is by far the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned.

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  this car is got eletrical prolem - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Danny Le - August 18 - 2:00 am

  maybe its just my car. this car is got 2 many computer stuff and wires. my CD changer can never be fixed amd i tried 3 times. this car is pure luxury and performance, but the germans need to put efforts on the wirings.

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  Joes opinion - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By The Joe Smith - August 18 - 2:00 am

  Love this vehicle, all advantages of SUV and it drives like a car, smooth and quiet.

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  Great value for the money - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rock7111 - August 13 - 2:33 pm

  Take the time to test drive one of these if you have not already. Dont be mislead by reading the reviews for the coupe variant of the C-Class; that coupe was an abortion of a vehicle and shouldve never been built. I know because I traded one in for this sedan. I decided to give MB one more shot and Im glad that I did. The C- Class sport sedan is a stunning machine. The interior is finely crafted; the engine is smooth & responsive despite being supercharged. Road noise is very low, and if you get the entertainment package, prepared to be wowed by the audio. If you cant stomach the 06 pricing, look for one of these 05 beauties on the pre-owned lot - you will not be disappointed.

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  2007 E350 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By firstbenz - August 12 - 4:36 am

  I bought a 2007 E350 with 50,195 miles on it. At 59,000 miles the check engine light came on. Found out the car needed a new manafold because of some small plastic movement flap broke. Also, needed to purchase a Valvle Body Assembly for the transmission. Cost $2,800 dollars. Found out the Engine Light came on at 50,195 miles and a dealer told me that is why they traded the car. He stated any thing over 50,000 miles is out of warranty. I exspected more from Mercedes. It is a simular reason I stoped buying BMWs 30 years ago.

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  7th mercedes owned - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gunlawyer - August 12 - 1:10 am

  Owned Mercedes since 1976. From 190E thru stationwagons. By far the best appearance since 1979 Wagon, great ride, show stopping appearance. Hard dealing to get acceptable purchase price with trade (Mercedes). Would do it again in a heartbeat.

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  The Lew Review - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Lewis87 - August 9 - 9:03 am

  My 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320 is a joy to drive. My friends and I always use my car around town because it is just amazing. I hope to purchase this vehicle in a newer model very soon so I can continue to enjoy my driving experiences.

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  Maintenance Queen - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By floridafordleo - August 7 - 11:33 pm

  Had car since it was new. 2005 Mercedes C-230 Kompressor. Dont get me wrong the car is beautiful and is a jet when it comes to ride and handling but thats not what we use it for. The car is a daily to work and back car and every now and then a road trip maybe one state over. it seems like every week there is some expensive service that needs to be done on it. The car eats tires due to a poor suspension geometry, and you have to change the brakes every 20k miles it seems like. The car leaks oil and constantly showing error messages. I pride myself at maintaining my cars but I cant seem to stay on top with this one. Getting rid of it as soon as possible. 90k on it now.

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  Nice SUV - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By jreimers - August 4 - 12:43 am

  I purchased this SUV second hand at the dealer last year. Purchased the extended warranty which seems to be paying off. it drives nice, looks good, and is fun to own. A little high on gas. Last years repairs, $1200 before warranty

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  Be prepared for regular mechanic visits - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tony - August 2 - 11:43 am

  Best feature that attracted me is the comfort. Sitting in the car is almost as enjoyable as my living room couch (makes all the difference sitting in LA traffic). However by now I can probably write a book about all my mechanical visits (cheapest one being $450) ranging from transmission to power steering pump to sensor malfunction. Ill never buy a Mercedes in the future due to reliability issues because I know its just a matter of time before my next break-down. P.S. The car has 65K miles, I am the original owner and I take great care of it.