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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  This is it - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By SUSAN KNOWS - December 27 - 1:20 pm

  I am a car person. That is what I do for a living, that is what I wake up in the morning for, to deal with vehicles. This car was well researched before the purchase. and yes there is no absolute when purchasing such a type of vehicle. They will have weak points and strengths. This vehicle has very few weak ones. It is simply fabulous. I am proud to own one. I am not new to the Mercedes scene and I know they are built to last but It is nice when they look good and have the functionality in one package. Whenever I get in the car which is a kidless car by the way, I turn into another mode. I block out all other things and set myself free. be careful you will be tested, be strong!

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  The best C. - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By CRay - December 27 - 2:50 am

  This is for 2008 MB C300 Luxury. I traded in my wifes 2006 BMW 325 (I am glad I got rid of that disappointing car. So noisy my god the chevy 2500 diesel was quiter - no kidding). Love this C class though. Smooth, quite and fast enough for me (I am mid 40s). It does everything in Merced way. I owned the previous C (2003) and didnt like that one either. But his one is defeintly a winner. Thank you Mercedes to built this.

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  Nice, but shouldve bought a 911 Turbo - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By fievel - December 26 - 10:00 am

  The car is great, except that I really wish the car had 6sp manual transmission. The auto tranny doesnt do the engine justice at all. The car runs surprisingly slow compared with all the hype I had read. I guess my expectations were too high.

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  SL55 AMG - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Angus Tone - December 26 - 10:00 am

  This car is a dream to drive its performance is unmatched in its class. It does a faster 0-60 than the ferrari modeno and spyder. This car exudes class and power if you have the funds i deffinetly advise picking one up

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  Summer Ride - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Sean - December 23 - 3:53 pm

  I have a triple black CLK 500 convertible. It is very fun to drive with that V8 under the hood! It handles great and rides like a dream!

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  Getting close to a year..... - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Golfdog2 - December 21 - 10:10 pm

  Im just over 20000 miles and so far this has been a great car! The ride is comfortable and firm and everything works like it should (I didnt read my owners manual like I should have for a few things). I had an issue with the brakes but that was repaired and got a software update for the radio but thats about it for problems. The dealer service has been good as well. I understand why people like this car and Ill probably buy another one.

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  Elegant Car, Timeless Styling - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By So Cal Sam - December 21 - 3:23 pm

  Besides the world class styling this car is also so smooth and powerful. The 302 hp engine and 7 speed automatic tranmission effortlessly propels the car down the road with such authority and grace. The convertible top works as advertised - a smooth mechanical ballet that takes you from quiet hardtop coupe to convertible in 16 seconds. The exterior and interior finish are well done and the entire feel of the car seems so tight and well engineered. The navigation system is easy to use and has a points of interest function that is very handy. The 2006 model year includes Sirius satellite radio as a no charge option and Im finding it to be a real bonus - incredible amount of choice.

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  Proud owner of MB C280 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MercedesFan4Life - December 20 - 2:00 am

  I love my baby. Its got classical beauty, retaining the more traditional looks of its forefathers (not the funky looking headlights of later generations). Extremely reliable and built to last. This is not a race car but one designed for comfort driving (a requiste for those long hours spent behind the wheel in rush hour traffic). Smooth handling.

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  Great car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By 42000 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  It is a wonderful car and fun to play with. It is very reliable. The fuel economy is better than I thought. Smoothy ride, xlent performance.

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  Mercedes SL55 AMG Review - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By hman - December 20 - 2:00 am

  Excptional car. Drives extremly well. The console is very techonolgly advanced. The car has a very powerful supercharged V8 engine. This car is probly one of my favorite cars, I like better that my Ferrari Modana.