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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  Clk review - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Harry Resis - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Greay car. Dream car.

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  Love this car! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By K - April 23 - 2:40 pm

  This car drives like it is on air. Ride is very smooth and extremely quiet. Handles beautifully. Great safety features. Accelerates quickly and steadily.

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  An Excellent Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By William - April 22 - 6:36 pm

  The E320 CDI is top notch and well worth the 50G+ price tag. Acceleration is smooth and effortless, the interior is attractive, quiet, and comfortable. It is literally a pleasure to drive back and forth to work. If the power, ride, and handling dont lift your spirits, the sound system surely will. This car has become my private decompression chamber. I look forward to driving it each and every day. It has that quality of ride and handling only the Germans seem able to pull off - firm yet compliant, and tight yet not punishing or noisy. Its as though the bad elements arising from the road are edited out, yet youre still left with outstanding feel and handling.

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  Mercedes S Class Review - 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By jb68902 - April 21 - 9:40 pm

  Im happy to have it because it is the best car I have ever owned. The interior is plush, glitzy, and a bit ostentatious, but this is required in a huge Mercedes-Benz Saloon car. The sat nav is intuitive, but the COMMAND system takes around a week to fully master. Driving this car is interesting. You feel the huge size, but the 4Matic system, just seems to make it feel smaller. The power is easily accessible an the torque can be accessed in the low rev range. The steering is good, for a huge saloon car, but it takes to many turns of the wheel. The paddle shifters on the side feel awkward and hard to use, they also feel cheap. Overall this car is probably the best car on the market today.

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  Electrical Gremlins - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By lawman1967 - April 21 - 2:46 am

  Mercedes-Benz just bought back my 2012 C250 because of untraceable electrical issues. I do accept that this was just luck of the draw, a fluke, the random lemon, etc., and dont believe that my car was indicative of the model. I would have random electrical issues like non-functioning buttons, seat controls and warning lights, that would magically correct themselves the next morning. Dealer and even MB regional tried to identify the problem, but failed, ultimately just buying back my car. That said, the C250 was a blast to drive, smoother, more powerful and efficient than the C300 it replaced. Still highly recommended. I replaced my car with a certified 2011 C300.

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  Old Reliable - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By V&H Ranch - April 21 - 2:00 am

  The truck went through routine maitenance. I only had 1 problem with the dashboard lights. Never had no signifant problems with the truck since. Great off-raod and in bad weather. I would get another without hesitation.

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  Best Ever - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Coppy - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned most makes over 40 years,MB since 1969, every high line Mercedes made in the last 20 years (no AMGs) and this by far the finest and most reliable car of all. After eight months of ownership the car remains flawless, is perfectly comfortable and a blast to drive.

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  Mercedez Benz M-Class - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Nahoola - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Excellent ride for the price and wonderful customer service from MB dealerships.

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  Mercedes the car to drive - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Lora Soon - April 21 - 2:00 am

  This car is fantastic, no problems, safe automobile, insurance very cheap.

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  Ann - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ann Sprovach - April 21 - 2:00 am

  This is the most fun driving Ive had in a looooong time!