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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  Just for the record - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By rqjwill - September 11 - 11:20 am

  We purchased this car a year ago with 10K miles and have driven an additional 14K miles with a few minor issues, but overall this is a great car. This is our first Mercedes and wed buy another without hesitation. In fact, I cant imagine owning anything else. The gas mileage is around 23mpg combined and 30 mpg highway. Its a pure pleasure to drive especially on busy city streets, where it brings a confidence and calm. Overall reliabitly is good as well. Cant wait to get an 07 or 08

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  CLK 500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jms122860 - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I have owned several high performance cars including 2 BMWs. The CLK500 is, without a doubt, the best car I have ever driven - and I loved the Bimmers. It looks beautiful (I get compliments from strangers all the time), and it drives even better. The engines performance is thrilling and the handling is superb. It is absolutely a thrill to drive. A friend of mine traded his brand new E500 for a CLK500 after riding in mine! Its also much more practical than the SL series or the SLK, because it has a functional back seat (I have two young teens to haul around), although not very good for long trips.

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  less than great - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Gbart - September 11 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my SL55 for just 9 months and have had 4 different problems requiring dealer service from the top not closing completely, to a failed electronic display module, et al. I am disappointed at the low end torque - my 2000 E55 was every bit as good. Cornering is far from "Porsche like" and the car is much too loud when you accelerate heavily. As in all MBs the sound system is just OK. The whole package should be better for $125k large. Killer looks and thats about it. This is my 7th MB and likely my last.

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  Great car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By al - September 11 - 8:26 am

  Great car, easy to use. The electronics are vey easy to understand, the controller and dash controls are great. The transmision is terrific, and the fuel consumption on the highway is 24mpg, which is pretty good for a car this size. The only thing that I dont like is the design of the front bumper. The front grille is too close to the edge of the bumper and offers very little front end protection. Be careful where you park this car. Keep clear of SUVs and any vehicle with a wheel mounted on the rear. Mercedes is going to sell a lot of grilles for this car.

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  C240 is a classic understated sedan - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By K - September 11 - 3:36 am

  I bought mine new in July, 2002. Generally, with over 16,000 miles on it, my C240 has performed well, especially on long drives, where it is really in its element. The one thing I do not like is there is very weak pickup on it, which is dangerous if you need to merge or drive into traffic from a standing idle, especially for a U-turn across multiple lanes. Otherwise, the quality and design of the car, and its solid performance makes it an operational dream pleasant to behold. Mine was manufactured in Stuttgart.

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  The New Hammer - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By The New Hammer - September 10 - 7:43 am

  Purchased in November of 2009 after selling my 2006 BMW 550. MB has finally figured out how to build the driving dynamics of a BMW and package it with a world class drive train and engine. Over the top insanity when you hit the gas and throw the car into a corner. Bottom line the best overall high performance sedan on the market!

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  Lexus Vs. CLS 500 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By MK - September 10 - 6:00 am

  Pros: Head turner, good handling Cons: Quality of Lexus (LS430) far exceeds than this one. Poor controls interface, Very bad service by Mercedes. A bit uncomfortable for longer drives.

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  Worth the money - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By brian decook - September 9 - 7:56 pm

  I was involved in a Tbone colission with a hit and run by a Ford Explorer. The policeman said I should be dead. Thank God for Mercedes Benz and the saftey systems they have invented.

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  Super Car Great Fun Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Car Guy sf - September 8 - 9:50 pm

  Having owned many, many Mercedes and other performance cars, I find my S65 to be the finest. Simply incredible peformance-the engine and exhaust are excellent. Admittedly I am a real fan of Mercedes. I find them and particularly the S class to be an excellent all around value when scoring on the basis of safety, performance, comfort, resale value and maintenance costs-in this order. Maintenance issues have been extremely minor. Just done routine maintenance and very minor warranty work. I just wish I could drive it on our US highways at the speeds this car was intended to be driven. At first going from an S500 to S55 I was leery of moving upto the S65. Now no more!

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  I traded in a 2003 E 350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gerald Perlow - September 8 - 5:50 am

  This car handles better than my previous E 500 (2003). The power is virtually the same below 60 mph and it feels more responsive in spite of its AWD. I also have an S 500 and this car is more fun to drive. I road tested the new GS AWD and the M35 of Lexus and Infiniti and this car was the winner.