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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  My Benz! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DIRTYAMG - June 28 - 2:30 am

  This car is exciting on so many different levels. There is nothing like it on the road even though Audi and Cadillac try very hard. Theres still nothing that feels, smells, or drives like a Benz. Faster than some Ferraris and Porsches but practical enough to strap my daughter into her car seat and go go go!

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  2012 glk 4 matic - 2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By ajusay74 - June 27 - 11:19 pm

  Little bit small but excellent suv, fun to drive and i love the style

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  SL 500 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Ryan Brennan - June 26 - 6:23 am

  Truely great and stylish car! I would reccomend it to anyone looking in the $80,000 plus range. I owned a Jaguar XK8 before my SL and after having driven both I can say that the Mercedes is clearly better.

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  Not your fathers Mercedes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Drew - June 25 - 1:46 pm

  5,000 miles of truly fun driving. No mechanical problems except for a faulty ESP switch. Great fit and finish. The only negative is the tight quarters in the rear. But it is a "coupe."

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  I Love This Car! - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ - June 25 - 10:40 am

  This car is wonderful. I bought this with a 175,000 miles and she runs like new. Im so particular about my car but everything works. Im happy

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  S55 AMG - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By pat g - June 24 - 7:10 pm

  The S55 AMG has a perfect blend of comfort, styling and performance. I look forward to road trips in this car. It is incredible. It has tons of room, especially in the back. When I start the car with the keyless go, a cool option, the engine sound is incredible. The exhaust and supercharger emit a sound that lets the occupants know that there is plenty of power available when needed. The supercharger has a subtle and very cool whining sound that is downright stimulating. The active body control suspension is amazing and definitely adds a very connected and sporty but smooth feel to the ride. This is the ultimate sedan. Period.

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  Love my GL - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By cindykoz - June 24 - 2:06 pm

  This is my first Mercedes and my 2nd SUV. I love it. We have 3 small children all in car seats and we all fit very comfortably and easily with room for friends. We live in central New York and have had about 5-6ft of snow since we picked up the GL, it handles it like a dream. We will be adding running boards as its a bit high for small kids and grandparents.

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  Love this car and everything about it. - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Arnold & Janicea - June 23 - 9:18 am

  Great car. Love driving this C250. Its missing only one thing 4Matic AWD. Other than that Its a wonderful car and fun to drive.

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  Excellent design - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MARIO - June 22 - 2:36 pm

  This car is just perfect all around. The engine is out of this world, the best I ever own, responsive and gas consumption better than I expected. I had BMW X5 2001 nothing to compare and then my LEXUS LX 470 2004 the worst car I had. I am so glad that I got the ML550

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  My Sweet Silver SL500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Susan C - June 22 - 6:03 am

  Its luxury, comfort and fun all in one car. Its a head turner and I get this all the time "nice car!"