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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  great car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By div - December 10 - 10:00 am

  very comfy car! good acceleartion. some issues with ignition.

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  Get it - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By mpk - December 10 - 10:00 am

  the only problem I have found is with the breaks that they have promissed they will fix and the navigation needs improvement. But at least it works; unlike BMW 745 with a great NAV that does not work 1/2 the time.

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  Awesome - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By GMoney - December 8 - 2:00 am

  5 Months, and not a single problem! The only problem is all the stares I get driving my G-mobile down the strip! Quality is immaculate, and the rarity superb. I love this car!

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  A pleasure to drive - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By C R Cox - December 8 - 2:00 am

  This is my second CLK, I purchased a CLK 320 in March 00 and was very happy with the veh. I traded the 320 for CLK 430 in June02 The 430 is so much more responsive and powerful. Ive own other sports cars in the past and I would place the 430 at the head of the class. It affords me a level of expected quality and pestige that only MB can coupled with the fun of driving a true sports car.

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  VERY UPSET WITH MERCEDES - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By TOM PAPPAS - December 8 - 2:00 am

  THE CAR HAS GONE THRU 5 BATTERIES 3 MAIN COMPUTERS ALTENATOR DAMPERS, VARIUS WIRING.2 SUSPENSIONS 2A ARMS INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT WORK WHEN HEADLIGHTS ON NAVIGATION GOES ON WHEN YOU PUT ON THE RADIO STEERING BELT BROKE AT 18,000 MILES WOUND UP ON I SIDE WALK WITH MY WIFE IN CAR COMPUTERS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING THRU LINCLON TUNNEL AND WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD .SILVERSTARMOTORS IN QUEENS MAINTAINED THE CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND THEY MAID THE CAR WORSE THAN IT IS I PURCHASED THE CAR FOR SAFETY AND RELIABILITY BUT THE CAR DID NOT DELIVER I AM UPSET WITH MERCEDES AND THE DEALERSHIPS FOR SELLING THESE JUNK CARS A

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  2003 Mercedes-Benz C230 Coupe - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By chamby - December 8 - 2:00 am

  I dont have many miles on the car yet, but so far Im impressed by the quiteness, solid feel of the ride and controls, and the maneuverability provided by rack and pinion steering with rear wheel drive. Ive driven the larger S Class Mercedes and this C230 gives you the same substantial feel of quality. I suggest you get the leather interior because the cloth interior design cheapens its appearance (looks like the cloth in a Tercel or Neon. UGHHH!). To us, it didnt matter if the badge said Mercedes or Daewoo, we realized it was well-built, good- looking, functional car that was also enjoyable to drive. A lot of car for the price.

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  Diesel for me - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By GSS - December 5 - 3:21 pm

  Wish I would have not purchased a Black vehicle -- wish it was silver.

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  Whale Tail... - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By idrury - December 5 - 2:43 am

  I bought this vehicle with 132K miles on it from a mechanic that had owned it for 5 years. I had it in my possession for a little over a year. The main reason I bought the car was for transporting my road bike. In terms of functionality, it performs admirably, the wagon bodystyle is very good at hauling around the road bike and makes Costco trips a breeze. Performance - The engine power is adequate and the transmission shifts smoothly. Fuel Economy - On the highway you can achieve near 30MPG with cruise control; however, city mileage is near not so pleasant, 12 or 14 MPG. Handling/Ride Quality - Handling is okay and ride quality was a bit floaty.

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  ML350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ram - December 2 - 10:43 pm

  The only problem I have had is one of the chrome wheels had a crack in it. It was replaced with no problems, except that it took 2 days to get a replacement. But the dealer gave me a replacement vehicle so there was really no problem. Another problem (but not with the car) is it is very easy to go very fast in this car and not feel like you are even moving, its so smooth for an SUV.

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  sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By alex crim - December 2 - 2:00 am

  Best Suv I have ever bought. I have never had anything but a Benz and will never change. The G500 is brand new and is the best Suv I have ever owned. For great info go to mbusa.com