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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  Best Used Car for the Money - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By C230Driver - January 17 - 11:50 pm

  Ive had Volvos, Mazdas, VWs, this has been by far the most dependable, cheapest car to own and maintain by far. Other than routine maintenance (oil changes), brakes at 75k and plugs at 100k miles, this has been the most dependable and cheapest car Ive ever owned. I purchased it off lease with 32k miles, I currently have over 112k - its still beautiful, paint is perfect, interior is still like new - the leather interior still looks new and has held up incredibly well. The style is classic, not trendy, and gets a lot of compliments.

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  2002 C32 AMG - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Slater126 - January 17 - 12:13 pm

  Car is brutally fast. That wasnt a surprise. What was a surprise was the nature of the powerplant. Car is spookily quiet and smooth until you get into the throttle. Not anything like my edgy 97 M3/4 was. More like a Rolls powerplant as opposed to a sporty motor like the BMW straight 6s. Oh yes, the supercharger whine. Its there, and I love it. Ride is smooth and comfortable without being sloppy. I heard some complaints re the ride so maybe Im used to sports cars? Dont know. It works for me. Ergonomics are great and materials are high quality. Gas mileage? Not so much. Ours gets 16.5 MPG average. Our 06 RSX Type-S gets 26.5 MPG in the same driving. Great car overall! 4 stars.

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  Wish I Hadnt Leased It! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By josephus - January 16 - 9:03 pm

  Great car! Comfortable, smooth, quick and gorgeous. Prior MB was an AMG SLK. Faster than the SL but not nearly as comfortable or luxurious. We leased the SL and wish wed bought it. The 39 month lease is up this year and the purchase option is outrageous. Dont like the looks of the 09 nearly as well as the 03 through the 08. About the only thing we dont like (other than a very poor radio and non-intuitive controls) is the cost of routine maintenance. For the price of this car MB should include routine maintenance as BMW/Audi do. Were hoping the 10 model returns to the more classic style of the 03-08. If so, well buy one this time.

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  C320 Sport - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Derek Visocky - January 14 - 2:00 am

  This was the car I did NOT intend to buy, but couldnt be happier. Weve come to appreciate the safety, performance and engineering so much that we are sold on making a Mercedes the next purchase should we ever let this one go.

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  Yay - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By cookie_universe - January 14 - 2:00 am

  I have this slight wind nose that from the passenger side that cannot be rid of. The supposed "SmartKey* " Intermittent Wipers with Rain Sensors is way too sensitive. Even with little drops of rain from the tree (after the rains subsided), it still continues to work quite sporatically - very inconsistent.

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  GREAT - 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By mic - January 12 - 10:00 am

  GREAt

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  EXCELLENT CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By mic - January 12 - 10:00 am

  GREAT

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  a great value car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By cheche - January 12 - 10:00 am

  i love it

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  Great Car! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Chrystal - January 12 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car purchase I have ever made. This car is smooth as silk when you are driving it. It is a great car for the price! You cant do any better.

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  Excellent vehicle - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Norm - January 12 - 2:00 am

  I have had nothing but a fantastic vehicle. What is wrong with your vehicle. Mercedes is getting a bad rap on this one. Its a great ride and vehicle.