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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  Little monster - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AO - May 18 - 2:00 am

  Awesome performance! This car is a "sleeper". It looks like run of the mill C-class sedan but it is real fun to watch the astonished faces of the drivers of Mustangs, BMWs and such, including kids in tricked out Honda Civics, when it rockets off the traffic light.

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  Great car poor radio - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mreckitt - May 17 - 10:00 am

  This car is much improved over my 96 220.

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  Expensive, but very fun - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Nick Marden - May 15 - 6:00 am

  I got this car in Feb 2005 - one of the first 2006 E350s to come off the boat in America. I had held off choosing between the 2005 model year E320 and E500 because I felt that there must be a better solution with more horsepower than the E320 but less cost than the E500. Sure enough, waiting one model year was worth it, because the E350 hits that sweet spot right between the old E320 and the E500.

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  GOOD WORKHORSE - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SAL - May 15 - 3:53 am

  This was my first mercedes. I have leased 3 more new ones since.I bought it with 10300 miles on it. yes I have put some $$ in it,however never cheated. Always serviced by Mercedes Dealer( same dealer). Most important is not to use after market parts. as long as you stay with real Mercedes parts your car will appreciate it and you will too.Only problem I have; it has too much power! feels like 8 cylinder. Very balance and wont skip. I feel safe driving it. Responsive steering and brake system gives you confidence. even new ones are much more reliable, ( i have 2008 CLK) How ever it is fun to drive this one.

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  mercedes e320 coupe convertible - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mccainpup - May 11 - 10:00 am

  fantastic looking car with comfort and good re sale values. a modern classic that will only appreciate in value, one of the last true great mercedes coupe convertibles made, buy one and keep hold of it!

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  Some minor problems, but its a cool car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By schang91 - May 11 - 10:00 am

  There are a few minor problems with my new CLK500. I had the first car which arrived in the Bay Area. I guess the first production batch always has some little problems. With the all of the special new features, new body look and 306 horsepower performance engine, I dont care about all of those little problems! Enjoy first then worry later!

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  The docs car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Dr. Fraccaro - May 11 - 9:46 am

  I believe that this vehicle is a serious machine. Since I previously owned an SL 55 AMG, I was lloking for a change. I sold my SL for a good price, since it did cost me an arm in a leg, and I downgraded to this car. I cannot even tell the difference. The SL was not worth $150,000 but the R 500 was worth every penny. Who knows, the AMG may also be that much better also

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  ML has a heavy and sticky gas pedal. - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By JBear - May 8 - 10:00 am

  One very annoying problem that is mentioned by many ML owners is the heavy and sticky feel of the gas pedal. It makes it difficult and uncomfortable to drive smoothly. MB service just says "thats the way it is" theres no fix. That is unfortunate because there is a lot to like about the ML and this problem is something that you experience every single time you drive. MB engineers need to drive a BMW and experience the silky smooth progression of the BMW throttle.

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  C230 Kompressor - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By C230 Kompressor - May 7 - 3:20 pm

  Bought used 4 years old. Great performance wise, no doubt. Within 2nd year of ownership, had to replace wiper, AC, rotors. Sometimes windows dont work. Dash lights go on. In 3rd year of ownership, rust on both sides of door, under wheel well. This is a garaged car. My 13 year old Corolla had no rust at all! Very disappointed, especially for a Benz. The body integrity is poor on the car I own. I am looking forward to getting rid of it.

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  Luxury no verve, but kudos in the snow - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Daniel W. - May 7 - 1:23 am

  The car is heavy, very heavy and the drive lags with the 4.3 liter V8. The interior luxury appointments are what you would expect from an S-Class, top notch, especially the optional Bose entertainment system. Particularly impressive is the cars handling and poise in the snow. Three inches of fresh powder could do nothing the upset or throw off the ride, and the car tracks as well in the snow as it does on dry pavement. The optional airmatic suspension does well to firm up the ride and limit body roll on the first of the two settings, but the sport setting provides a rude ride not fit for even the liveliest drivers. I would recommend the S500 4m, or for more sport and fun a 7 series BMW.