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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  Torque, not HP - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By goose007 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I have had a Jaguar and a Ferrari in the past, and driven the Porsches of friends. I was attracted to the new Mercedes "monster car" because it broke the 600 HP barrier. What I have found is that the HP understates the perfomance of the vehicle, if you can imagine that. Between 2000 and 4000 rpm there is well over 700 ft-lbs of torque and the driving experience is like nothing I have ever felt. Now, this is a heavy machine, and you can feel it. But the ride is still "tight", the seats well designed to hold you, and the controls very accesible. The interior touches are nice, but this is still an SL500 with a monster engine and monster brakes.

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  Nice ride - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Josh J - May 17 - 2:00 am

  I just bought this a few weeks with 96,000 miles on it. It drives just like a new car, the brakes are more responsive than most sedans. Which is amazing considering its over two tons. The interior build is not quite up to par though, when the bass from the boss system hits the interior rattles, and wind noise is excessive on the doors. On the highway it has a smooth ride and a great passing gear.

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  Wish all cars were made like LEXUS GS - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By missmylexus - May 17 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car without extensively test driving it. Campared the specs, similar to 99 lexus GS I owned. Very Sadly disappointed. All cars are not created equal. Miss the silky ride with the superb precision ride of the lexus. People think I am crazy if I tell them Lexus is a better ride. Every once in a while I forget I am in the benz when I try talking a turn at high speed. Also hard to keep this car within the lane. In my lexus I could drive with my hands of and felt the car to be an extension of me.

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  Ml 320 reveiw - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By stra - May 17 - 2:00 am

  Great vehical with a great pickup and great interior. Our only concern is that it has a rough ride compared to the Lexus RX 300 which we own.

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  Luxury Sports Performance - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Smartnole - May 17 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful car. Favors luxury over performance, but this car is no slouch. Steering is a bit heavy and braking takes some getting used to. Overall, this car is a tremendous blend of luxury and performance. Highly recommended.

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  Excellent - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rio124 - May 14 - 11:00 pm

  Disclaimer: I am leaving my Corvette for the C300 so my performance notes may be a bit off from the normal person. The exterior of the C300 sport is definitely exciting from the front, but a bit pedestrian from the sides or rear. Still its a beautiful car. The interior is very well-built and comfortable. The dual climate controls and steering wheel control buttons are excellent. The handling is very nice - not as sporty as a sports car, but tight. It is definitely smooth enough for a daily driver, but you still get very good road feel. Performance on the 300 is decent with the manual. It can get up and go better than most of the cars out there. (Still miss the Corvette power!)

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  Still Have One of the First and Love It - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Chuck - May 14 - 5:36 pm

  I bought one of the first off the assembly line and have been very happy overall. Only problems I had were at 40,000 miles with the cowling around the steering column coming loose and at 48,000 the front wheel bearings going bad. Of course all of these problems were fixed by the dealer. The interior of the vehicle is outstanding, but the view out the rear window is somewhat restricted. And getting into the third row seat takes a little effort. The third row seat has to be one of the most comfortable available. Adults can actually sit there comfortably without their knees in their chest. Im not crazy about the exterior design. No complaint with the power, its great!

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  E320 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tonyxxxx - May 12 - 10:00 am

  Good car but minor problems have been a irritant. Expected higher quality build.

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  Pleased, but not ecstatic. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By aftp - May 12 - 10:00 am

  Overall this has been the car I expected. Mercedes level design and support. Several problems including an oil leak have landed mine in the shop several times. Several electrical problems also (headlight assembly, multiple bulbs, window motor).

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  Electrical Gremlins Abound - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Nero - May 10 - 7:03 pm

  Car has left me stranded and in need of towing 5 times now in 3 years. It has so many electrical problems that no one can figure out, the last time I took it to the dealer for the same thing and spent $3,000 with no real fix. Looks good, is very fast but too heavy to be a real sports car, it drinks gas, and is very unreliable and expensive to own. Another thumbs down for Mercedes recent product offerings, do you research and youll find many reports of their shoddy quality in their modern cars.