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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  You would expect more from M-B. - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Joes ML 320 - September 17 - 10:00 am

  First experience with M-B., and a frustrating one, had to be taken to the shop at least 10 times in the past 2 and half years, and was helped by road side assistance at least 6 times more, excellent treatment everytime at shop, but please....for $40K you would expect more. Shame on you M-B, to have this black sheep among your other exquisite siblings...

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  Nothing exceed$ like exce$$ - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By D.L. - September 15 - 5:26 am

  Stylish. Average MPG 11. Cheap vinyl visors. Sits low, getting in/out hard. Average quality leather. Terrible navigation. Command system is technology from 80s Radio Shack computers. Outdated 6-cd changer. Unless you keep A/C on auto (which gets loud) awful mildew smell emits from inside car--unevaporated H2O in pump system. Some things dont work from 1st day like cupholder. Porsche & BMW = better handling but SL550 better than SC430. Interior leather & wood & ergonomics are better in Lexus by far! but are better than 911 & 650i. Sound system: 1=sc430, 2=BMW & Infiniti, 3=911 & SL550. Build quality sub-par, very bad. You buy this car for sense of prestige not because its the best- its not

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  Mid-life refresher - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By smithy11clk320 - September 11 - 10:43 pm

  The CLK320 Cabriolet is truly a fun car to drive and a head turner even in a crowd of Benzs, BMWs, Caddies, et al. There are a few weaknesses though in the clunky suspension and lack of steering feedback. As I tell my son, its a luxury car not a sports car speedster. For class, style, and practicality I dont think theres anything on the market even close, although reviews that say it seats 4 adults "comfortably" must be based on the opinion of some small folks. You can get 4 in, but nobody is very comfortable. Engine is strong, even if not real quick off the line and the highway ride is dangerously smooth - 100mph creeps up on you easily. If youre looking at this car - BUY IT - you wont be sorry!

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  STAY AWAY - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By gr-1 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  many problems with power steering front end navigation and oil leakes

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  Computer replacement - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BW - September 9 - 10:00 am

  I had to replace the main computer board in their c320? Took my car in to carmax after the coolant light came on. First they said it was the fan and replaced it. I was told the tech broke off the sensor and now all I know is this simple repair has ballooned into a nightmare.

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  Never Left Me Stranded - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By CJBENZ1 - September 8 - 9:10 pm

  My suv has always been reliable Ive had it now for 12 years, the biggest problem has been the window switches that have been replaced twice for $300. Every other repair has outlasted the manufactuers recomendations. I suggest finding a good German repair faculty,repairs are on the exspensive side at the dealer. Ive gotten good gas mpg average 20.

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  2015 ML 400 - 2015 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By autofire - September 8 - 3:15 pm

  Looked at the 2014 cayenne, 2015 X5 , and ML 400 The porsche was way under powered and the BMW was nice but the dealer wouldnt work with me and the ML 400 had everything we were looking for and the dealer worked with us. We took the ML from Birmingham to New Orleans last weekend and averaged 21 mpg at 80 mph . When passing the rpm s never went above 3500 I would recommend this suv to anyone looking for luxury 5 seat suv

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  C300 - 4me - 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JB - September 6 - 1:15 pm

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  Respectable, but not too exciting - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dpj1 - September 6 - 3:36 am

  The car drives pretty well, but the stiff suspension can be rough on bad L.A. streets. Acceleration is OK, much better than the C300, but not as great as I would have hoped. What is great is how much better mileage I get than my old car. I pay $500/month (incl. tax) on my lease, but I save over $100/month in fuel. The car is comfortable and generally pretty quiet. It is a good all-around transportation vehicle. Surprisingly ample room for passengers and luggage.

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  Wanders on the road - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By J. L. - September 3 - 2:00 am

  Car will hold a straight line. I have to constantly move the steering wheel to keep it between the lines. I have not driven drunk in 30 years, but I could hold a straight line in my old Ford drunk than I can the E 320 sober. I am VERY disappointed.