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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  E320 CDI is a joy - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By K Marvin - April 1 - 10:23 am

  My E320 CDI (Turbo diesel) is a joy to drive. Mileage is amazing. A wonderful, solid feeling road car. Interior is miles ahead of BMW 535 and Audi A6. I drive 300 miles a week and I only get fuel once every 2 weeks! Navigation system is excellent as is the suspension. This car has been tweaked to near perfection. As promised by the dealer, cold weather starting is fantastic - 3 seconds of glow plug operation in 10 degrees and it starts faster that gasoline engines - WOW! My dealer, Leikin in Willoughby has been great. Mercedes is working very hard to make sure you love the vehicle and the dealer. Lots of surveys to insure satisfaction.

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  First Mercedes (and wont be my last) - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mountainman - March 30 - 1:56 pm

  My wife and I test drove a new one in 2001 and came away impressed but plumped for a (cheaper) Volvo Cross Country (since sold) instead. In the summer of 2008 I began searching for a clean used 2001-2003 E320 wagon I could park at our vacation home. Eventually I found a pre-CPO car in the rare Pewter/Oyster combination (only available in 2003) which I wasnt entirely sure about at first but have since grown to love. I have now owned the car for 9 months and Im very satisfied with my purchase and should I ever decide to sell I expect to recoup most of my (not considerable) outlay for this unexpected headturner.

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  The pride of owning a 2003 MB S500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By cherylrix - March 29 - 10:00 am

  This is hands-down the best & classiest auto built. I can tell you the looks that I get while driving this car are amazing! Valet always seems to run to park my car first! They all love the chance to drive this beauty! I have put more than 10k miles on it in 4 months because I love to drive it! Handles curves in the rain with no problem.

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  A Really Good Car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By TheUS68 - March 29 - 10:00 am

  It is definetly a very fun car to drive. It turns heads especially with the sports package. You can press on the accelerator and be launched forward like a slingshot. Throw it into turn and its very controlable even with the extra speed. The extra options are definetly worth it and all buttons are easy to use and clear. Extremely good gas mileage.

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  Danger New Brakes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By James Powell - March 29 - 10:00 am

  MB has brake problems and cannot stop but does not want to admit for fear of recall and bad press. Settling claims for bad brakes. Great engine, poor suspension as the air goes out and the car literally rests on tires. Mercedes acting like General Motors in letting first year models be the quality mules. Buy an S without these bad brakes. It is cheaper for them but is your life worth it?

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  Brakes Dont Work - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By JC Powell - March 29 - 10:00 am

  This hi tech car does not have the bugs worked out yet. The new electronic brakes are not reliable. I ran into a car because the brakes would not work. MB sent someone to investigate but were unable to replicate so said drive it until it happens again! I am not their test dummy. Wait until they get the bugs out.

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  Awesome car! - 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By consultU - March 28 - 9:46 pm

  Ive driven several of these cars and just bought one. They are extremely powerful and smooth driving. I also drove the Lexus SC400 and SC430, the Porsche Boxter and 911 and several others. Theyre all fun, but for my money the SL500 is tops. Driving with the convertible top down and the Bose stereo up is quite an experience. Try it!

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  S550 New Uber in Town - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By BobObO - March 23 - 10:23 am

  For the model year 2007, this is a truly awesome car. The build quality has improved from the previous version. It is back to the glory days of the 92-99 S-Classes. Its still got plentiful innovations. Lots of safety systems. Very luxurious, seats are much softer than traditional Mercedes (pre-2000) Standard Lumbar support on seats now. Surprisingly the new generation of the Command system, like the BMW, is very differnt from the BMW because it is soo much easier to use. Harddrive Navigation makes it a lot faster to pull up info and you got the whole US map in the system already. The power is excellent at 385hp, very nicely upgraded matched by the smooth 7 speed tran. One awesome car.

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  Best Luxury SUV - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By buiatl - March 23 - 2:23 am

  Since date of purchase, best car I have ever owned. Truly the best luxury SUV in its class.

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  What a blast - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ivanson - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Smooth performance vehicle. Understated speed. I have the e500 sport seires. Black with charcoal interior with black maple trim and silver accents. Very aggressive and very fast. I have never felt as secure behind the wheel of a vehicle. Drawbacks- complex electronic settings- you need the manual and an excellent but somewhat quirky sterio system. It sometimes gets static and the wont turn off (temporarily)!