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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  Very Pleased - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BenzHappy - September 27 - 10:00 am

  This car has it all - looks, style, comfort and performance. Inside and out, it is the best looking sedan on the market today. Sure, you pay a little premium, but that is more than offset by the quality and extremely high resale value. I have never owned a Mercedes - buying BMWs, Lexus, Jags and Porsches in the past. I have been pleasantly surprised with the E and see myself in Benzs in the future. PS - has anyone seen what BMW is doing with their cars lately - what is up with that (inside AND out)!!!!

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  Fast & Beautiful - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jon Chancellor - September 24 - 5:46 pm

  Have a new E550 coupe with Premium 2 package. This is a major upgrade from my GS430. The car handles like a sports car in sport mode. Can immediately tell the changes in injection/shift points as well as suspension stiffening. The new tan color interior is awesome! Seats are phenomenal. Trying to master the Command system--getting better at it each day. I was looking at the Lexus460,the BMW5series and the Jaguar XF premium. Drove them all and chose this coupe. Cost less and is quicker. Not bad on the eyes either. Just test drive the competition and then drive the E550 coupe. And no, I dont work for MB. Jon C./Tulsa

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  Torque Galore - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Curt - September 22 - 9:33 pm

  Incredible torque and great handling. This is a beautiful car that is fun to drive. The build quality is outstanding and I have had no problems with the electronics (yet).

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  LOVE THIS CAR! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By TL05 - September 21 - 9:56 pm

  This is the first time I have bought a MB. We were looking for a Coupe. We tried the 335, too small. Drove a A5. It was OK, but just OK. Then we walked into a MB Dealer. They had just received their first 10 Coupe that day. We loved it! Over the next 2 weeks, we took 3 test drives and thought it was great. We now have it 2 weeks and love it more. Car drives great. Love the Interior and Exterior. The Sound System is unbelievable. We do get looks from people and have been told that it is just beautiful. We made the right decision.

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  Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Kevin - September 19 - 7:06 pm

  Bought for $22K. Wiring Harness is the only major issue ever ($1,700 to fix). This car regularly travels 800 mi RT to Gulf Shores, 300 mi RT to Spartanburg...and she just is great on the highway. Avg fuel is 28 in the city and 34 on the highway. Ive put 120K miles on this car and she now has 223K total miles. Even my mechanic thinks this is an awesome car.

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  Mercedes Critic - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Walter Haynie - September 18 - 6:20 pm

  I purchased the 2002 S500 for my wife as a Christmas present. She just loves the vehicle, apperance, handling, and quality of the vehicle. We compared other brands the were 4-5 years old and the quality just did not compare to like new look of the Mercedes quality. My wife constantly comments on how she loves driving "her" Mercedes. This is probably the best thing that I could have done for my wife, (and myself ha,ha) The Mercedes makes her feel better about herself and gives her confidence with the prestige of the Mercedes Benz name. We even purchased a Dog and named her Mercedes Ashley Haynie, what could be better? Loving life with Mercedes Benz and being a proud owner of the S500.

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  Great car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rufino - September 16 - 9:26 pm

  An extraordinary car! When I bought it, I knew it was a dream. It has great stability. The comfort is great. On the road, its smooth and gets great mileage. The other day on a 2 hour trip, I got 410 miles on a tank with 28.5 mpg. I hadnt filled the tank in 1 week and 2 days. I love the sport package and the bi- xenon lights. Great everything! The trunk is enormous.

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  Good deal - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By big george - September 15 - 2:43 pm

  Great car, very peppy motor, ride is superb, very quiet motor, no rattles. It is too small inside for a $43000 msrp. Some poor design choices inside such as too many knobs to activate radio and hvac, should be push button. Steering wheel controls do not include all of the functions that are common to better designed steering wheel controls. Getting out of drivers seat is not easy for guys over 200 lbs. Nonetheless, my son loves driving the car and I think its exterior lines are awesome. No troubles after 5000 miles. Though I am wary of keeping it beyond the warranty period due to MB recent history build quality

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  CLK 430 Cab - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By MK - September 14 - 1:16 pm

  I love my 430 convertible. When I got the car, it was 4 years old but I still love it. The look, handling, convertible, heated seats, comfortable leather seats, and AC are my favorite features. I live in Calgary, AB where we have wicked winters at -35 degrees celcius (-31 F) and hot summer days at +35 degrees celcius (95 F) and this car handles the different seasons perfectly. I do suggest throwing some chrome rims on the car, which makes it look like a million dollars.

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  This car has everything - 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By tallyken - September 13 - 3:03 pm

  Is it possible to have luxury, comfort, superb build quality, and safety in one car? Yup! Oh, you want performance too? Well, this is the one to get. Im comparing the S63 to other cars Ive owned: NSX, SL600, 2 Vipers, several Corvettes, S500, SL55 AMG, and the S63 rules.