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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  Stranded - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By stranded - July 28 - 8:03 pm

  I have only had my ML350 for 1 year and the battery has died on me twice already. Here I am in a brand new Mercedes and I have to get a jump, how embarrasing. The second time the battery died I took it to the dealership and they said that the computer chip got wet some how. They want to charge me $900, but its not happening.

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  Great 4 Door Coupe - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By karl_md - July 28 - 2:30 pm

  I just took possession of my 2007 Iridium Grey on black leather CLS550. The combination of power, comfort and style surpass any vehicle out there. If youre looking for a family sedan, this is not the car for you. But if you like the appearance and performance of a coupe with the pragmatism of a 4-door sedan, you are in for a pleasant susprise. The 7-speed automatic is perfectly matched to the new 5.5 Liter V8, with perfect compromise between fuel economy and performance. At the same time, with ADS, one can ride in comfort without the harshness of an overly firm sport suspension

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  Sleek, powerful, problematic - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Lawman - July 28 - 12:33 pm

  This is my 5th Benz, but first S-class. The car is beautifully designed and well-appointed. Handling is excellent, comfort is superb. It is one of the greatest highway touring machines ever made. At the same time, there have been irksome quality issues. I have had the car about one year, and in that time have endured five major (and costly) problems. A sensor malfunctioned in the trunk, effectively immobilizing the car. The gear shift assembly jammed in park and had to be replaced. The air seal struts developed a leak and had to be sealed. The V-belt broke during a highway drive, lost all power and the engine promptly overheated. Disappointing. Fuel economy is good, 26 highway.

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  Strong Class Entry - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By EBESQ - July 28 - 10:10 am

  I looked at other CUVs- Highlander, x3- GLK was the strongest value for the dollar, significantly cheaper than the x3. Having owned Volvo, BMW, Audi and Lexus (and a Toyota Highlander), I feel like I have a good idea of how a car should handle, ride and feel in a given price segment. The GLK delivers on all fronts, hands down. Bank vault solidity, no body flex to speak of and air bags galore. Styling is truly the most significant of all in the CUV class- clean lines, no "melted bar of soap" styling.

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  All good things come to those who wait - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By SFBayBenz - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Ive wanted a Benz convertable for the longest time and in 2001 my dream came true. I had to wait nearly a year before it arrived at my dealer, but it was so worth it. This car drives great. I took it down the Coast Highway last summer and had a blast. The car is a real eye catcher too. I get compliments on it every time I take it out. Its also very quiet with the top up, even though thats not often for me. The seats are very comfortable too, its been to LA and back a few times. In a few years Ill seriously look into an SL-Class.

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  great car! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jeremykilpatrick - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Excellent all around. There is no way I could be more satisfied with this car. For the price, it is an absolute dream. I would never consider owning a different vehicle.

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  Very satisfied - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jean-Michel - July 27 - 1:53 am

  I purchased this 2002 c-240 in October 2009 with only 62,000 Km. 6 months later, the odometer is 82,000 Km and never had any problems with this car. I maintain my car with synthetic oil.

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  Car falling apart on the way home - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By First time Mercedes - July 26 - 11:10 pm

  I dont think you are going to believe what my wife and I just experienced this afternoon: Just bought a brand-new C300 from Smythe Europeans about 5 hours ago. Very nice, short experience with the sales manager: Nice guy, very good deal. We got home, noticed that a bigger chunk of rubber was sticking out in the corner of the drivers door. Also inside, a little piece of carpet between passengers seat and the middle was missing. We drove back "Sorry, cant do anything, you need to come back on Monday." 2nd time coming home, the long rubber piece below the drivers door CAME OFF - literally! Can you believe it? Nice design, but my wife cant even enjoy the first day with her new car now...

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  Beautiful! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dixondb - July 26 - 11:20 am

  I have only owned this car for 6 weeks, but so far the experience has been fantastic. It is truly beautiful to look at, smooth to drive, and once you master the COMAND sterio/GPS/phone system it is a technological marvel. Comfortable and elegant inside and out. I look forward to the coming years of reliable service.

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  Mercedes for Life! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dasche - July 25 - 5:30 am

  I am loving this car, and so do all the heads that keep turning when I ride by. I have the 2008 C300 Sport w/automatic & panoramic roof, black on black w/the aluminum interior trim. I always frowned upon black interiors but this car is stunning. I always owned front wheel drive cars in the past, Nissan Maxima & Murano, the feel of the acceleration is phenomenal, a nice mix of luxury and sport. I was amazed at how solid & sure the car drives in the rain, makes you want to push the envelope. I was leery transitioning to a car from a SUV but I dont miss it one bit. I thought the interior would feel cramped, but it feels quite comfortable & spacious, and Im a healthy kinda guy