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 21st century cadillac fleetwood - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By xchicagoan - May 2 - 10:00 am

  i purchased this car to replace a 1997 e-320 with 107,000 miles. what an improvement over a great car. the s- class literally floats on the road but with a good feel of the road at the same time. and to be honest, it is prestigious, which is why i call it my 21st century cadillac fleetwood, the car i always wanted when i was much younger a long time ago. furthermore, they price was discounted!!

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  2011 GL 350 Bluetec - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Atlanta North - May 1 - 10:00 am

  We just recently moved from a 2008 GL 320 CDI to the 2011 GL 350 Bluetec. The fit and finish and additional sound insulation in the 2011 are very noticeable. There are some nice feature upgrades from 2008 to 2011 such as bluetooth, voice control, HD radio etc. MB has definitely taken a step forward on what was already a great vehicle. The larger 20" tires on the 11 are definitely nicer than the 18" on the 08. We loved our previous GL and look forward to even better experience with our 11. In fact already the fuel economy seems slightly improved which was already impressive for such a large vehicle.

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  Great!! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By jwalt1 - April 30 - 12:23 pm

  Bought mine Oct 2011. Its a 2010 and had 30,000 miles on it. Its been 4 months, I have put 10,000 miles on it and I LOVE it. Its comfortable and reliable and I get so many compliments on it. Im ready for it to snow so I can see how it performs on snow and ice.

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  A pretty good vehicle - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By woriax - April 30 - 6:36 am

  Recently purchased a new CDI ML. Interior is great, as qulaity workmanship stands out. Diesel is quiet, capable, and seems initially reliable. The outside could look a little more modern, but I enjoy it looks (we were comparing the new Acura MDX and ML). Ride is supple and sure-footed, with the all-wheel-drive. My only bark about the vehicle is the navigation. I was spoiled with the Acuras, as you say "Find the nearest..." and its spot-on. With the Merc, not so. I couldnt find many local places like Wal-Mart, which was seriously disappointing in a $50K vehicle. This is seriously something Mercedes needs to improve. Also, if you opt for NAV, include voice-activation. Overall, a great car.

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  Built Without Regard To Expense - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By John Throbs - April 29 - 2:00 pm

  Love the car. Its like driving a fast, well handling, exceedingly comfortable tank. Mine has not had any problems, but I bought it with 50K miles on it and it had a complete service log showing that all maintenance had been done. These cars have two flaws: The a/c evaporator can go out, and it is a $4K, dash out job to replace it, and the engine wiring harness can deteriorate, which is a $1,500 job to replace. Make sure the car youre buying has had these two repairs done to it and you will be fine.

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  AMG E-55 Hold on tight - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Sara Fincher - April 29 - 2:20 am

  This is my 3rd AMG E-55. This has the most powerful engine 469 HP, 575 torque. Love the dynamic seats. They inflate to keep you centered when youre making sharp turns. This baby accelerates 0-60 in 4.5 sec. Jump on the freeway and leave em in the dust. This kind of performance and handling from a 4 door sedan (Stealth) most people dont have a clue what this car is capable of. Keep it under wraps so the showboats dont ruin it :) It is quick, powerful and agile with luxury comforts and gadgets.

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  My Mercedes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Ramon - April 27 - 6:30 pm

  The driving is very smooth, it handles exceptionally well. I love the design a lot. I enjoy the stereo system and the electrical features. The trunk space is enormous and the advantage of moving the rear seats are an A plus.

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  WHERE IS THE AUTOBAN? - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By BISON - April 26 - 2:00 am

  CLK 320 IS WONDERFUL CAR FOR UNITED STATES. I LIVED IN EUROPE FOR PAST 13 YEARS--DROVE SL/S-CLASS CARS. CLK 500/AMG55 WOULD BE A MUST OVER THERE.STYLING DONT HACK IT ON THE AUTOBAN.VWS, OPELS, AND FIATS RUN OVER 130MPH.

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  Good job! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Scottie P - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Drives like a charm

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  MBenz 430 CLK - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Rockman - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Fun car to drive, but maintenance issues continue to dog it; a refelciton of MBenzs increased model line and production I suspect. Poor choic eo Michelin Pilot on 18" wheels; Ive had to replace six tires in less than two years for wear (at 43K miles?), and for punctures that were not fixable due to the low aspect ratio. Gets expensive at $340/tire... Also had relaibility problems (and dealer problems at MBenz in Pleasanton) for rain sensing windshield, broken sunroof switch, broken climate contorl fan, and broken gas gauge. Sure is great to drive and handles very well at high speed, but cost/mile is very high.