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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  Be aware - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By nick - November 14 - 11:46 am

  Ive sold my 95 BMW 740i (V8) to save a money on fuel. The real mileage in town just 20 mpg, only 24 mpg on freeway. Dont fall for the 40 mpg lies! Car lacks stop and go power in the city. Auxiliary fan low speed was the reason it ran hot. No cup holders, parts cost fortune, not even close to Bimmers Ive had. Car from the 90s, outdated, slow. I lost money on repairs Ill never get back. Hard to re-sell because its unknown and rare model in US.

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  1999 M/B E320AWD - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rosetta stone - November 14 - 10:00 am

  great, solid m/b feel. wonderful steering, brakes, ride. respectable fuel economy. spectacular turning radius. cute compartment under phone to keep food/drink hot or cold-- vented. phone difficult to program. surprising problems with transmission at 16K miles and horn blew out. ignition switch tends to not release key.

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  lemon of all lemons - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dustin F - November 14 - 7:08 am

  results may vary, 2nd owner of a 2004 c230k built in Bremen, Germany. Make sure you have a fat wallet if you plan on owning a used c230k. I have had nothing but problems with this car, with only 96k on it I have had to get the transmission serviced twice once at 50k and now at 96k due to it going into safe mode, bad sensors, leaking orings for transmission harness. Also have had an intermittent misfire in cylinder 1, had to replace fuel pump, coils, plugs, fuel lines, throttle body cleaning, still does it from time to time, rough idle randomly. Had it at an independent shop for 2 months and they were even stumped by it. Seriously if you are not making 65k+ a year or live at home with your parents forget the image of the Mercedes and go with the toyota or honda.

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  Not really worth the $ - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Hutch - November 14 - 1:50 am

  Was my first and last Mercedes. thought this manufacture stood for quality, comfort and performance boy was I in for a shock. Required preventative maintenance on this car is expensive! First year about the same as others $400 - $600 its the subsequent years that get you doubling and tripling that. Couple that with numerous annoyance problems that were under warranty and corrected but still shouldnt happen. Items such as; squeaky pullies, engine maintenance light and etc. Decent layout inside but not comfortable; seats thin, low to the ground and small interior space dont accommodate us folks of 6 feet tall or greater. Do what I should have done pass this dog on by save some money.

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  Too Many Glitches for $100k car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By JS - November 13 - 4:00 pm

  This has been a love-hate relationship. The dealership has been great about fixing things, but now that Im out of warranty with 57k miles, it seems like too much is going wrong. Tire pressure sensors, AC failures, oil leaks... despite all that, its the most comfortable ride Ive ever owned. Great balance between smooth handling/feel and keeping in touch with the road.

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  Performance and Style - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By goldenvol - November 12 - 7:56 pm

  I bought this car for 12K, it was a one owner. The engine performs great for an SUV. Handling is awesome for a "boxer" style car. Fun to drive plus very safe. I always feel I am in control while driving this auto. I did have to replace a Power steering pump ($625), but I expected to pay more for the service type work. I would strongly recommend this car.

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  My red CLK Cabrio - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By johnsecter - November 11 - 10:00 am

  This is my 3rd Mercedes and I love it. The back seat is large enough for the kids to ride in but you do have to move the front seats up. The handling is outstanding. My combined gas mileage is around 25 mpg.The sound system (Bose) is unbelievable. I recommend it to everyone.

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  The best of the best - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Dr Rick - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Every red blooded American male dreams about owning a car like this. It is sexy, stylish and extremely powerful. I have the limited edition Designo sports model. It turns heads and stops traffic where ever I go. It doesnt get any better than this.

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  Flawless - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By RJP - November 11 - 10:00 am

  Flawless performance. Beautiful styling in and out. It looks exactly the way it performs. Responds instantly to accelerator. Can easily get ahead of other vehicles and into clear road ahead. Handling is superb. Does not lean or sway. Beautifully takes curves with ease. Quintessential sports car. Wish it had more cabin storage, and that it had a better gas mileage.

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  LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By llenroc74 - November 11 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THIS CAR. I HATE THIS CAR. EVERYTHING IS GREAT EXCEPT BUILD QUALITY AND RELIABILITY. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION AT 1,300 MILES. BRAKES (Sensotronic) STILL DONT WORK CORRECTLY. DEALER SERVICE IS APPALING. M/B CUSTOMER SERVICE (Montvale, NJ) IS RUDE AND UNHELPFUL. TRYING TO INVOKE MY RIGHTS UNDER NYS LEMON LAW SEEMS FUTILE. MY 4th M/B SL AND MY LAST.