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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  I love it! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By George - February 27 - 12:53 pm

  I sold my Acura, I got this GL550, I have to say I love it! I only miss the Navigation from my MDX, it is more powerful and intuitive. I love the ride, I am surprise it feels like a sedan car, even when I tested it at 100 mph.. NICE Enough space in the third row for adults, great features, great ride..and other people comment on how beautiful it is..

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  A great car diminished by a few flaws. - 2011 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By carlspackler1 - February 26 - 4:58 am

  Purchased new, and as an everyday driver, weve logged 18k. The cars excellence is diminished only by a few ergonomic issues. The heat controls for the seats are mounted on the door, making it impossible to adjust without taking your eyes off the road, and dont get me talking about programming the GPS! It has an outdated feel - My mobile phone is much better! The drivetrain shifts smoothly, and the engine delivers the perfect combination of torque and horsepower. If the interior design falls behind the outstanding engineering of the rest of the car.

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  Best all around driving automobile! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Tyman - February 25 - 7:26 pm

  I purchased my 2001 SL500 from a dealership in Calfornia two weeks ago and drove it to Idaho. This Mercedes is the best all around automobile that I have ever had the pleasure of driving. The handling was fantantic, the performance is unbelievible, especially at top end. My other two super performance cars are a 03 & a 06 Z06 Corvettes which are dream cars, but the Mercedes is just the total package. An all around great driving car. You just feel great driving in it. My Mercedes is Red with Black leather interior. It has 44,000 miles on it. An engineering marvel!

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  Like a million bucks - 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Robert - February 25 - 7:53 am

  Waited 10 yrs to responsibly afford this car. WELL WORTH IT. My wife and I treat this vehicle like a family heirloom. A recent VA-NY road trip was blissful... too short even. Getting acquainted w/ the onboard systems is a fun adventure. Upgrading to the 2009 S550 4Matic (from our 2000 E320) was like being selected from an overcrowded coach class seat by a pretty flight attendant and being led by the soft, well-manicured hand to posh first class seats. Straight forward power is embarrassingly obliging. Leather, wood and interior touches are like a private mens club lounge that even a discerning lady can appreciate. Play it cool on long runs and flirt w/ 30 mpg. NY ice/snow: no problems!

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  Beautiful Piece of Junk - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Mostly Bummed - February 25 - 2:00 am

  I should have believed Consumer Reports! The reliability of this vehicle is no better than a GM or Ford according to CR. Problems since I have owned it (37k to 42k miles): broken power rear shade, broken engine heat shield, broken cable for power drivers seat (twice now), persistent engine rattle, persistent interior rattles, leaking rear differential seal, faulty timing belt, broken lever to unlatch fold down rear seats, loose drivers seat that needed new latches. All in all a highly frustrating and unreliable vehicle. My recommendation: sell it before the warranty expires, or better yet buy something reliable like a Lexus, Acura or Infiniti.

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  Stay away from MB - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By george219 - February 24 - 6:48 pm

  Long time MB owner, this E350 has had issues from when we drove it off the lot, the worst issue is the terrible transmission shifting, which is a safety issue when driving at highway speeds. There is an intermittent problem with a long hesitation when you step on the gas to pass or avoid something and the car accelerating. The "premium" leather seats (they are not standard and are not on most cars sold) are very uncomfortable because they pivot above the base, so if you dive in any position other than a right angle the bottom of the seat back pushes into the small of your back. Our brand new car had loose parts and noises which were corrected, but is that what you expect from this car?

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  What an improvement! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Doc - February 24 - 3:43 pm

  Beuatiful redesign inside and out. No longer rides like a truck. The new V6 puts out more horsepower than most V8s in its class and is super quiet. Much more roomy and comfortable than previous model with too many perks to mention. Pay the extra money for the appearance package which includes 19" wheels, a chrome grille, and Alcantara seating surfaces (looks and feels like suede) MB really got it right this time!

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  C350 Coupe Hits the Mark ..... Almost - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By linksman22 - February 23 - 11:42 pm

  Ordered my C350 Coupe in November and took delivery in February 2012. I love my coupe and I have not seen another one in Dallas as they are pretty rare. I must say, lots of heads turn and take a look when I drive by. The overall build quality inside and out feels very solid. I tested both the C250 and C350 and the C350 is far superior in handling and performance. I would not have been happy with the C250. The performance quality is slightly lacking versus the 2005 Infiniti G35 Coupe that I replaced, but the build quality feel and high end electronics make up for that shortfall. Biggest disapointment is the seats which differ from the sedan. They are very firm and uncomfortable.

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  G-Wagon - 2005 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Braingears - February 23 - 10:10 am

  This truck can go anywhere and through anything. It can also tow my 32 foot boat without a thought. I also like the fact that it is solid and NOT made of plastic. It is made to go 1,000,000 miles.

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  Balance shaft - MBZ does not stand behind - 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mbzpain - February 23 - 8:26 am

  Great car, comfortable and great value. BUT be careful, as Mercedes does not stands behind their products. I have a MBZ E350, and at 63K, I got a check engine problem that required a balance shaft to be changed at the cost of $6K, because of a shaft that was not properly tempered. MBZ clearly built a product that was flawed, as about 20% of the cars that has the E350 engine had the problem. BUT they leaved us poor users to deal with it, and didnt stand behind their poor craftmaship product.