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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  2006 E320 CDI - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Roy I. - January 9 - 12:56 pm

  I did a lot of research and realized that the I-6 CDI motor was one for the ages. Iron block, naturally balanced, dependable and durable. I had to purchase a "pre-owned" 2006 since I live in the great state of California. I arrived and I could not be happier. My father has owned many MB cars over the years, this CDI is as close to a perfect car as he and I can imagine. It is the perfect size, seats 5, it has outstanding acceleration and curising speed capability and I got 35 MPG over a 226 mile trip (including several acceleration runs). On that 226 mile trip I used just a smidge over 1/4 of the tank. The range left is 400 miles. I am looking forward to this car for years to come.

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  Excellent Overall - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By vinnie - January 9 - 11:43 am

  Had car for 10 months. Had BMW5. Now BMW7 and X5. Considered BMW3 but chose this car. Much smoother ride than BMW3. Much quieter than BMW3. 95% of time Im not cornering the hell out of the car when BMW3 would have an edge so why compromise for a bumpy and noisy BMW3 ride? Nothings for free, but this car has exceptional balance of acceleration at all speeds. Compressor w/ a small engine but great gas mileage of 22 to 30. Has full safety features and feels that way too. MUST get full leather and full power seats. Cloth is cheap. Exterior rear styling is a bit quirky. Twice in shop for water coolant level detection - tolerable. Mars red color is totally special. One of my favorite cars ever.

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  Unsafe at any speed - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Unsafeatanyspeed - January 9 - 10:00 am

  I had a problem with the so called safety features from day one- the ESP would engage going around any corner and the car would swerve into the oncoming lane. It took 4 trips in 4 months to get someone to actually drive the car and discover that there indeed was a defect in the system. By that time I wanted nothing to do with this unsafe vehicle.

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  Saved my ass - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By pueblo - January 9 - 10:00 am

  No better vehicle than one that gets you through a 16 inch snow storm, 8 inch ice storm, 24 hour sleet storm through 4 states in 16 hours on old tires and yet is 4 years old without a mishap. All the while watching drivers get in all manner of accidents in states that have no clue how to deal with inclement weather. WV actually had pick-up trucks with plows on I-79!

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  Mercedes ML500 SUV - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dazilla - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV that will last forever. Pricey but worth the money over the long term. Just cant beat Mercedes quality!

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  c240 always in the shop - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rws3 - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my C240 for 28 months now and it has had 21 repairs done on it. Bought the car in Arlington, Va and now live in Scottsdale, AZ. My attempt to get MB to take back this car and get me into another MB car have failed. Im very dissapointed in the reliability of this car and second, that the mfg. wont stand behind their product.The problems: electrical, sunroof motor, power seat motor, door wouldnt open from the inside, fuel gauge wouldnt read accurately (this one is especially great with a wife and two month old daughter) and more electrical problems! Wish I would have bought the BMW.

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  S350 Hidden Treasure - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By rrbenz - January 7 - 12:33 pm

  I test drove an Audi A8 and thought, "this is nice". I test drove a VW Phaeton and thought,"this is nice". I drove the S350 and thought, "Wow, this is great!" This truly is a drivers S-Class. It is ahead of the E-Class in style and space and the shocks can be adjusted for Sport or Comfort. The seats are the best and the car feels completely done right. I didnt want the 7 speed automatic. Except the radio and Nav system which havent caught up to my wifes Toyota. But thats a small inconvenience for such a first class experience-from soft door closers to the best ride in the industry, this is a car for the driver (and passengers) to be pampered and rewarded for choosing the S350.

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  Very nice car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ynot - January 6 - 6:43 pm

  Bought used "E430 sport model" on ebay. 44K miles. Drove it home. I regularly take 2K+ mile business trips up and down the east coast. I love it. Excellent build (not quite as good as my old 126, but still very nice). Very fast, but not obnoxiously so. Great sound system, excellent AC, handles well, stops well, cleans up nicely. I would buy another.

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  Sad state of MB - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Steve - January 6 - 4:20 am

  I bought E430 new and it was running well for about two years. Starting in 3rd years, it was having all sorts of problems. CD changer wont work, fuel gauge went out, AC is leaking, transmission is leaking, seat adjuster wont work, plus many more. This will be my last MB and probably my last German made car.

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  Beauty is only skin deep. Prototype woes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By JP - January 5 - 6:23 pm

  Very disappointed with quality and road reliability. Has me seriously questioning ever owning a Mercedes again. True, looks and sumptuous cabin turn heads. Very comfortable on long cruises, even in back seat. Exceptional responsiveness. A blast to drive, but many miles have been logged going back 20+ times for maintenance, electronics, accessories, suspension and wheel repair in 36 months. Ball joints should outlast 70000 miles. Brake pad sensors disconnected to keep static off the radio when braking. Dry and wet road handling is fabulous, but just a dusting of snow incapacitates it. Simple items like cup holders failed and finishes are peeling. Sadly, like the Mona Lisa with big red zit.