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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  Disappointing - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Lonnie - July 14 - 8:53 am

  I’ve always wanted a Mercedes. To me, they were the epitome of luxury cars. Im sorry to say I have been terribly disappointed. For what I paid I expected a top of the line vehicle, but got far less than I could have gotten from a new Camry. To start with, the navigation system is very important to me, yet the E320 has no touch screen, no voice command, not even blue tooth (some Japanese economy cars have blue tooth). In fact, the processor is so slow it can’t present but a few streets at a time, and has no readable compass in the nav mode. No right arm rest for the driver if you use the cup holder. I could go on but space is limited. I wish I hadn’t given up my Camry for this car.

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  Impressions after 3 months - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By trussell1 - July 12 - 8:44 am

  E550 coupe beautiful to look at and super light on its feet. Sleek and such a head turner Ive only seen one other in my large city in 3 months. What I dont like- I hate the Eco mode and that it cant be turned off permanently. Its smooth as silk when riding in comfort mode- you hardly notice it but if you are like me and like to drive it in sports mode you wont be happy. Its a obvious feeling/ sound. I now just turn it off nearly every start because I mainly drive I. The city and its just annoying to have it power down each stop. Internet radio is a waste- it takes like 5 min to get a signal and forget changing the Chanel it has to reload all over again.

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  Electronic Nightmare - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MrBill - July 7 - 10:00 am

  This car looks and feels great. Its eye catching, and sturdy. The V6 can hold its own but the maintenance especially the electrical problems are killing A dashboard light comes on every month. Notorious problems include faulty EGR valves, sensors, bulbs and a shoddy Bose stero system. Ive owned the car for 8 months and have spent about 2k in minor repairs.

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  If you can do it - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Woody Brown - July 6 - 2:30 pm

  Although a push financially, the E55 is a monster swaddled in Armani. An understated, elegant, every day driver that will dust anything that challenges the "55" nameplate. And they will challenge it. Think of a brand new Aston Martin Vanquish pulling up hard on your right, the light changes and the Vanquish is "Vanquished" three car lengths behind. Hard to put a price tag on that moment. I couldnt. The E55 has cult status. Everyone asks,"Can it really do what they say it can". Yes. Yes it can. And then some. If youre throwing your hat in the super performance car ring, the E55 has to be considered. It can haul kids, signifcant others, friends to dinner, as well as plain out "haul".

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  MBZ and I like IT!!!!! - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Sanjosean MBZ - July 4 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car from San Ramon German Motors. It had 22000 miles when I got it. It has 25k now. Awsome car. The sound system is remarkable. The interior is well layed out. Everything is were you need it. I especially like the Adjustable seats. The integrated key and infrared fob thing is one of the best parts....No seperate fob. (jay)

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  ML 500 Inspiration Edition - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Dan Steinborn - July 3 - 2:43 am

  We bought this SUV new (it is our first, and only, SUV). It has always been very reliable and has provided us with the hauling capacity we needed (moving household goods and garden supplies). It has been comfortable on trips and for in city driving. Fuel economy is not this models forte--its a heavy vehicle with a large engine. Even though we are light footed, our in city fuel economy has always been between 12 and 13 MPG.

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  be careful with this choice - 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By not4one - June 25 - 5:27 pm

  Very powerful and well built, but the transmission shifting is truly awful on mine...some new "wet clutch" technology that just doesnt work well. Hesitates badly in confort mode as it rides its clutch, and in sport it hangs on to 1st gear too long and jerks thru 2nd for a nano second on its way to 3rd. The car is fine if youre pushing it hard, but it just isnt programmed for normal driving. Previously had an S550 sport and it is a much more enjoyable car, as is an S65 or S600...all these have conventional smooth shifting automatics.

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  best and worst - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By swm - June 20 - 4:53 pm

  This is the best of 14 new Mercedes that I have owned, and the worst as far as problems, has something to do with my servicing dealer (not the same as seller) When you fill out a poor satisifaction report on a dealer they are informed of you name. Beware!!! they will get even, through no loaner available or excess charges, This may be my last mercedes because of them

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  Amazing value. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Greg C - June 17 - 7:26 am

  I needed a car that could get me to work in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and also handle periodic days at the race track. I cross-shopped the Audi S4 and the BMW M3. It was a close call, but I have no regrets picking the C32. Very, very fast, but not very flashy. Good MB quality and reliability.

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  Solid Value and Fun - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By pidcoke44 - June 17 - 1:53 am

  The C230 has been a solid and reliable purchase and wouldnt hesitate to do it all over again. It has the classic MB good looks in a package that is fun to drive without hitting the wallet in a bad way. The 1.8L Kompressor engine provides ample performance and zip. It is both fast and quick as well as being responsive to the touch. My C230 has 50,000 miles on it and has yet to see a service bay for other than the scheduled maintenance. Its fuel economy is in keeping with other 1.8L engines. Bottom line... I never get tired of driving it and plan on keeping it a long time.