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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  buy with caution - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By linda wine - March 13 - 10:00 am

  love car and beauty. parktronic keeps getting knocked out. had a rough start with audio system...not fixed....recommend only if u can spare time to take it into being repaired

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  2004 E320 SPORT - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Vladimir Isov - March 10 - 4:30 pm

  I left a review here in March of 2008 when I first bought my Mercedes-Benz. All I have to say is after two years and 28,000 miles I have NOT been left on the side of the road, not even close. All I do is follow the maintenance schedule (the cars computer tells U exactly when to take her in for her maintenance) and put high octane petrol - thats it. By the way, I would take it only to a dealer with CERTIFIED technicians. Also, have a low deductible on your auto insurance. I had a "fender-bender" which cost $11,000 to repair. I know, its crazy, right? You gotta love MB.

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  Almost exceptional - 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Robert Posey - March 9 - 12:23 pm

  Ive got a new S550 sedan. Mostly Im pleased. However, the fit of the right passenger door wood alignment is off about a half inch. The drivers seat is hard and poorly cushioned. Ergonomically, the steering wheel heater switch is invisible and not displayed. Finally, the Eco mode wont stay off and resets to "on" every time the car is started. Picky, picky, but for $120 thousand, I expect things perfect.

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  Good First Timer Benz - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jesse - March 7 - 2:56 pm

  I purchased my vehicle a four years ago from the authorized dealer. At the time, it was an authorized pre-owned vehicle with only 42K miles. The first year, I had no problems, but the following year, I had to replace two door handles. They literally broke off. I continue to deal with computer program glitches on an annual basis which the dealer has suggested I obtain an updated software from Germany. I have also had to replace the engine mounts shocks only after 80K miles! Mercedes were once known for their durability and QUALITY ABOVE ALL. It seems like too much plastic for a Mercedes. However, it is a fun vehicle to drive, turns on a dime and great first time Benz.

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  C55 AMG = A Monster in your Garage - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By yablo - March 4 - 4:36 am

  This car is fast! Let me rephrase that, its VERY fast. The car should be driven for fun, not for comfort or fuel economy. The ride is very stiff, but thats what you want in a sports car. Dont bother looking at the mpgs (11-14 city, 18-22 hway). Interior build quality seems below my old 1997 C230 which is a bit disappointing for a sedan that msrps for 60K. There is a lot of plastic on the dash, and most controls feel cheap to the touch. But who cares? This car is FAAAAAST!

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  Dream with a smile - 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Brian - March 1 - 3:26 am

  For the past 30 years Ive always wanted a Mercedes SL and finally after all the years of the desire, I have no disappointments. Its truly a dream car. I chose the 320 to not have to spend so much time at the gas pumps, but it still burns more than I expected. That might be due to the fact that I cant seem to slow it down. I really love this vehicle!

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  2000 S Class is a home run with value... - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By WH - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Great to drive looks brand new...

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  Lack of pride in workmenship - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Debi - February 28 - 10:00 am

  I find the workmenship to be shoddy. There is always a knock in the drivers seat, the windshield wipers always need adjustment and as of late the telestar system is on the blink. Very discouraging.

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  Not Happy - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By lenny - February 28 - 10:00 am

  Drive train vibration comes & gos,dealer cant find problem, BAS,ESP light came on twice Dealer said it was The computer the first time, the second time they said it was dirty contacts.

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  Overall, not too bad - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MP - February 27 - 4:00 pm

  This was my first Benz when I bought back in 06. It did pretty well for the first year, but then the car started to have numerous problems. The wind sheild wiper stopped working, the CD player broke (and still is broken today), and some various other things seemed to not work the way they should after a while. We ended up spending about $6000 overall in the past 4 years. However, Im not really the kind of person that treats their car like a baby or even owns a garage, I also ignore regular servicing a lot. After we got all this fixed though, the car seemed to really work well and has continued to do so so far. Im not totally sure Id buy another Merc but Id definitely buy another German car