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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  Love my Benz - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ittizzi - August 10 - 2:00 am

  I have had my Benz for over a year now and what a car! I had a few problems when I bought it but the dealership (RAB Motors, San Rafael) handled it hassle free! It has been dependable (more dependable than my friends BMWs) and fun to drive. The car has no blind spots, great turning radius and more power than I really need (I clocked 120 mph driving to LA). I would recommend Mercedes to anyone who wants their car to take care of them. This was my first and Ill never buy another make of car except Mercedes.

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  My First and Last Mercedes...Never Again - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Recuser - August 10 - 2:00 am

  Motor was replaced at 20,000 miles. Repeated transmission leaks, Power stearing went out, windows failed several times, goo smeared up the windows from inside the door the first summer, sun roof failed, numerous "check engine" lights (in addition to that listed above) requiring trips to the dealer for repair. A/C is inadequate for the size of the vehicle (corrected in later year models) Mercedes mechanics and customer service has been excellent. They certainly get enough practice with the M-Class.

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  The 2nd Benz - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By CityBoy3 - August 10 - 2:00 am

  This CLK is the best one Ive ever driven, even though its my sisters she lets me drive it alot I love the way it hanldes the curves and I love flying through the corners, this make me wanna trade in my 1995 500SL. This CLK has a 302hp- V8 and I just love how it purs, anyone who says they dont like it doesnt know luxury.

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  Underappreciated Sports Sedan - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Quantum_Mechanic - August 10 - 2:00 am

  I find this is a nimble, solid, and fairly spirited sports sedan - not a position all of the automotive press takes on the C series. In fact when test driviung it seemed as good, albeit less powerful, than my brothers (much more expensive)02 BMW 330i. But I did find a review (Motor Trend?) where the reviewers liked the driving dynamics of the C-230 better that the well-liked Acura TSX. That made sense to me. I liked the 04s low and wide stance and was able to get an irresistable deal on a 6-spd. Its a great driver, but Ive only had it a few days so I cant comment on its reliability.

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  Decent Buy - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mercara - August 10 - 12:16 am

  I bought this 1999 model in late 1998. I know the 1998 models and numberous problems. I have done 69K miles and have had the following warranty repairs. Transmission Control Module (Warranty) Driver Side Power Window Switch (Warranty) Alarm System (Warranty) Power Steering Hose (Recall) Auxulliary Cooling Fan Harness ( Out of Warranty: $400). Besides this I have done the regular maintenance, brakes, belts, etc. Overall it has been very reliable. I have never been stranded. I hear a lot of horror stories and sometimes think about trading it in. But since I have had no major problems, I dont want to start making new car payments and will probably keep it untill the first major problem.

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  2001 ML55 AMG-- Silver rocket! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Daniel N. - August 9 - 9:20 am

  My wife and I had a 1998 E430 sport, great car, but decided to go with an SUV. It was either a Range Rover or a Benz. The Rover was a little out of our price range, so we went with the ML 55. If we were going to get an ML, I wanted the fast one. Gas mileage is about 18mpg, not great, but this is a very fun and cool SUV, not to mention it will spank every Rover Ive seen. Fast, fun to drive, and I got slotted and cross drilled rotors and brake pads off ebay for $345 and only spent two hours doing them myself! No weak brakes on this ML! Will buy another when it gets 90k miles on it. Bought it with 52k miles and no regrets. Great SUV!

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  Just the Beginning... I Hope - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mfrankln - August 9 - 3:49 am

  We were shopping for a used SUV of far newer age but found this 2000 M-B ML430 really cheap at a small local used car lot. (The owner of the business has been in the same spot since 1987 and the entire community knows and respects him.) The ML430 had been sitting idle for about two years. It has some minor dings, a few rust spots from sitting under an old tree on his lot but was otherwise quite intact. Upon first test drive, we were immediately impressed. The only problem on day one was that it had 87 octane gas so we had to fill er up with some good stuff. It needed an oil change and the plugs (all 16 of them!) will be done be days end today. Contd

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  Best in Class - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BombayMan - August 8 - 10:00 am

  Have driven BMW 3 series and Audi A4 and this one is class apart. And Im not even counting the heads it turns...

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  Bad Experience - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Hannah - August 8 - 10:00 am

  Since you dont have the 2002 C230-K yet available for comment on your site, I felt impelled to share a few comments about mine.The car is very cute from the outside, and pretty comfy from the inside, however I have had to bring the vehicle to the dealership 5 times over the past year.The all glass sunroof squeaks all the time,no matter what temp outside. They just cant seem to get it right. The ball bearings had to be changed already and the front windshield leaked thru to the floor. The side mirror lights have blown out twice in one year.I am very disappointed with the car and would not consider purchasing another Mercedes.

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  Buy the car, forget the GPS - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SAL - August 8 - 2:03 am

  Great car. Comfortable smooth, sports car handling, excellent craftsmanship incredible power. Not as quiet as the gas engine but very quiet for a diesel. You have to listen to hear it. I average 25mpg, as much as 38 mpg on the road. However the GPS stinks. Its the worst. Difficult to use and I dont need to find "border crossings" in the USA. Just buy a Garmin, a 100 times better. Problems: transmission tends to clunk into lower gear as you slow down. Had a 2005 Benz with the same problem. Price of diesel a negative. Hate the center console, holds nothing. Service very expense. I would however, buy this car again.