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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  Mercedes Benz CLK Cabriote 500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By acemoto - February 8 - 2:00 am

  bought the car 8 weeks ago its a perfect car! It handles , its fast , its beautiful Its FUN. If your considering the car do it you will love it. I bought the car in silver with charcoal interior and a black top we ordered it with the navigation as well as heated seats , special CD sound system , wood steering wheel we ordered wit the 500 motor the car is fast fast fast and smooth smooth smooth.

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  Solid Performer - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rtluton - February 8 - 2:00 am

  Fine build quality and wonderful handling. The seats are a tad hard and the car could use a few more ccs when you really need the power, but it is an excellent car for the money. The car remains tight even at 135K miles with not a single rattle or squeak. Car pulls effortlessly to 95mph. Over 100 engine noise becomes noticeable tho.

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  Solid Car/Truck - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Rev - February 8 - 2:00 am

  It offers a more rugged, spacious alternative to the recent crossover SUVs, in case you do like to venture offroad, or pull a decent size boat. The new cars arent well suited to that lifestyle. I like the fact that I can play anywhere, and still look good going out at night. Nicer to have in a big city for parking, traffic than the other tougher SUVs, too. I think the bugs have pretty much been worked out, and that the satisfied majority of owners dont post or even read the review sites.

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  Much better than the last model - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Riven - February 8 - 2:00 am

  After a disasterous 2000 E Class wagon (windshield leak, ox sensor fault, aircon breakdown...), this one seems much better put together and of much higher quality. The dark grey exterior is striking while the interior is much improved. I acutally think the wagon looks better than the sedan. They might have got it right this time.

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  Luxury at affordable price - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Murthy - February 8 - 2:00 am

  Fun car to drive. Good experience at the dealership experience. Cars great. has 25-30 more standard features than in BMW 3 series. The features are nifty and absolutely wonderful. Great fuel economy for a 3.2 l V6.

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  Ho Hum - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Brad - February 6 - 5:26 pm

  Its a performance car only for people who have never owned a performance car. Everything is an option and you feel like youre getting nickled and dimed. Mercedes quality has been below average for a long time (hence no purchase) but maybe now its getting better. Got this car at a good price so I bought it. Hope I dont regret it.

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  what is not to like on a C240 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By imburg - February 6 - 1:46 pm

  this car has one main drawback and that is the dash control design. In bright sunshine its almost impossible to read the orange lettering on the dash. I have experienced only one problem with this car which walters corrected and that is the computer that detects the braking force also detects other functions. Otherwise it runs faultlessly in city and on the highway.

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  1998 ML-320 may not be worth the money - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By B. C. Brown - February 6 - 10:00 am

  The most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned has been my 1998 ML-320. This truck has had numerous problems with the electrical system and the engine. The engine was replaced with a new one in January 2002. From December 1999 to January 2002, this truck was in the "shop" about 15 times for various problems. MB North America paid for the new engine, as the manufacturers warranty had just expired. Lucky for me, as I would have never had the means or desire to purchase a new engine for this truck. The best that I can say about this truck is that it hasnt returned for repairs since the new engine was installed.

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  Solid Delivery - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Indianwood - February 6 - 10:00 am

  I drive the ML for both city and highway use in the metro -Detroit area. Great in all weather. Havent had any problems with the car compared to various issues that Ive read about in magazine and web-sites. Great value for the money in terms of features and re-sale.

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  When only the best will do - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Barry D - February 6 - 7:16 am

  These cars are expensive to buy and maintain, but it really is the best car on the road. I traded my 2000 S500 in on the 03 with 4matic. The 4matic tends to drag or hold back compared to my rear drive, but it is great in the rain and snow. The 03 update really changes the look of the car inside and out. Fuel economy is not much better than a Range Rover. Im averaging about 15 mpg, and I do a lot of highway driving. My rear drive got much better fuel economy. My car also has the sport package which also changes the look of the car quite a bit. It was next to impossible finding a 4matic with the sport package in a good color, but they are out there. A great car to buy used, save a ton!