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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  Luxury Ride - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By gretchan - August 7 - 7:13 am

  This car is like riding on a cloud. The ride is very smooth and luxurious. It is easy to drive and easy to maneuver. I average between 26-28 MPG on the highway. If you are looking for luxury, look no further than the Mercedes C280. I also recommend getting the 4-matic. It is great in the snow.

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  C280 Still at the head of its Class - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steve - August 6 - 5:23 pm

  From day 1, this car has been fun to drive, is great on long trips, and its fuel efficiency is surprising. Ample back seat room and good traction continually remind me that purchasing this vehicle was a smart move!

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  Great New Engine ! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bill - August 6 - 6:16 am

  Im no stranger to performance cars,but i must say this new E 320 blutec is more fun to drive than my 06 911. The rush of power and creamy smooth ride low noise decibels, getting almost 40MPG! I was going for a S550 and test drove this E blutec and WOW.

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  German Muscle - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Peugeot4Jacques - August 4 - 10:00 am

  Amazing car. Gifted with a elegant yet aggressive V8 engine, this highway warrior floats down the road with ease. With proper car and maintence this car runs forever and is built like a tank. The styling is some what conservative but the interior and trunk are large, as with every merecedes. Ive driven this car primary for highway travel were this flashy V8 amazingly exhibits better gas mileage than my V6 300E! Its a breeze through traffic and BLAST on the open road. Looking for some muscle but need to be comfortable driving with bussiness attire... this is your car.

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  CLK 430 Cab Review - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Silver Cloud - August 4 - 10:00 am

  Cant see out of car with top up. Too many blind spots. Would never buy another one. Seats uncomfortable.

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  my SL500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Bob W. - August 4 - 10:00 am

  Whats not to love about this rocket luxury car!

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  Perfect Two-Seater - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By desfourth - August 4 - 10:00 am

  I ordered this car after 9/11 and waited un til I did not have to pay a premium (actually received the car in 10/02). A squeek took a few visits to fix, but M-B did "everything" to take care of it. It is a dream to drive -- hard to believe it is so firm, even with the top down. Absolutely no cowl shake. A real looker.

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  CLK320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Howard265 - August 3 - 10:56 pm

  Wonderful car, very smooth, quite fast. I upgraded to 17" AMG wheels, same as a CLK430 and this improved the appearance and the handling. The headliner had to be replaced to correct moonroof noise problems.

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  Step above the rest - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By JOHN S. - August 3 - 9:53 pm

  This coupe will turn you into a racecar driver.IT has the same engine as the S class with a fraction of the price.This car really has it all, from its 8 cyinder engine to its body sculpted desing that has AMG written all over it. When night arrives is when the fun begins. Its very spacious cabon has all the bells and whistels to make your drive extremely fun.Whether you are looking for nav, keyless go, heated seats this car has it all. I will have to agree with Mercedes Benz quote. In a perfect world everyone would own one. Moreover, not everyone is going to agree with me, but that is the people who does not own one. As having a great affinity for cars especially coupes this one has it all

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  Engineers with nothing better to do. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Doc - August 3 - 3:13 am

  I have driven many cars in my 72 years This is the least user friendly car I have ever owned. MB has too many engineers who are really playing games with car functions. They have made life complicated for no benefit. Dealing with some of the menus and subs is distracting and takes the drivers eyes away from the road. I cant advise anybody to buy this car and would actively discourage anybody from doing so. MB is not alone Simplicity is what is needed! It seems that this is the way many manufactures are going and it is a mistake One should not have to be an engineer or a computer scientist to understand the car. The operating handbook is poorly laid out. Why should the operation of lights be on 8 pages?