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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  Fun and exciting, but... - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By gump - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Great car. The driving experience is exactly what you think you are buying when you pay the mercedes premium-- impressive engineering, performance...oozing class. The rest of the experience (delivery experience, service, reliability) have all been dreadful. Frequent breakdowns and problems have been followed by frustrating and haphazard service calls. Buy the Lexus. You will be happier.

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  E55AMG - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Andy - January 4 - 2:00 am

  This is the fastest Benz they have built to date, they are not kidding . Its a handful. It will put a smile on your face every day. Iys all engine, brakes & suspension. It is also very comfortable for daily use . I have had 20 cars in a 4 year time span . From Ferrari, BMW, Audi, Maserati,Volvo,Nissan,9 Benzs . Including, the new 500sl, clk55amg . This is my favorite to date. I plan on ordering a new one to replace this one in august

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  Love it so far! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SGK - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I just purchase a C320 Sport Sedan a few weeks ago. I traded in a 98 Corvette for this car, so Im still having a little problem getting used to being without 350 HP. But the handling is wonderful on German cars. Theres nothing quite like them. I love the looks of the car. Chromed the big 5- spoke wheels last week to give it a little more "bling-bling". So far Im loving it.

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  Roadster Rules! - 1995 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By roadster - January 2 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned my 95 sl 600 roadster now for a couple of years. The performance of the 12-cylindar engine is beyond compare! With the computer chip the previous owner had installed, the horsepower rating goes from 389 to 432! Things to watch out for... seems like these cars are prone to need new catalytic converters at around 40k miles. Mine did..and fortunately it was covered by mercedes 8-year, 80k mile e/c warranty--thereby saving me $4k! ! low mileage 97 or 98 will give you a $130k car experience for half the price!