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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  a lifesaver - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By 07boxster2 - December 20 - 2:23 pm

  Bought this brand new. Within 6 mo. Had the steering rack replaced and several other minor problems. Radio is possessed and theyve never been able to fix it. Car has only 48,000 miles after 6 years and a number of expensive nuisance repairs have had to be made. Shouldnt happen for the price and marque. Its a beautiful car: rides and drives wonderfully. Has also been a lifesaver for me......... Was taken out by a western star dump truck on the highway and only needed two doors replaced. Shes a keeper ..... For now.

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  C230 Kompressor - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jayjkay - December 18 - 10:00 am

  Multiple little problems with this car. Sunroof losing its settings, fuel door locking up etc. Fun to drive, great looking. If the minor mechanical issues go away, I would rate higher.

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  Great Road Trip Car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Bill K - December 18 - 10:00 am

  We were looking for a midsize wagon, the C-Class was the right size for our needs, the 05 changes to both interior (big improvement to the tach and speedo layout),and exterior (wheels and body work) make this one of the best looking wagons on the market. The ride is comfortable, but firm enough for good handling and control at speed through turns.

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  Best Luxury Roadster/Boulevardier - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By roadster - December 13 - 9:53 pm

  Pro: Best car I ever owned. Real head turner. Myriad positive comments. Quiet, smooth ride. Solid body: no squeaks, rattles, groans, shakes, or shudders. Awesome, smooth power with great engine sound. I never brake for corners. Good trunk space. Cons: should come with all-season tires, not summer. Bose sound system mediocre: not much volume or bass. Lots of interior wood-trim not in-cluded and absurdly expensive on the aftermarket. No door- ding strips- standard on C class. Headlight and taillight trim rings are not included. Grille and louver fins painted grey instead of chrome plated. No chrome trim on bumpers. Wheels are painted instead of plated.

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  Could be a better car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steve - December 12 - 6:06 am

  I really enjoy the ride and drive of my C240. I enjoy the looks and the feel of it. I have pride to own a car successful people own. I do not enjoy constantly going to the shop for very expensive repairs (three different ones in the past two months not counting others). This is not a reliable car. I keep thinking nothing else can go wrong. So many things are going wrong. I dont trust Mercedes anymore. Many times they have to always order parts from Germany. What an inconvenience!

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  Its a good car - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By The Scientist - December 12 - 3:50 am

  I was looking for a new car for a good while. I was about to get the new Lexus ISF but then I came across the C63. Daammmmmm. First of all it has a very clean look. The exterior has a good blend of sporty and luxurious. The interior is also very nice. A very clean and luxurious look. However Im not too sure about the bucket seats. Though the leather is absolutely gorgeous, I feel the seats could have been more comfortable. There ok though, some people really like them. The best part is the engine. It has superpowers.

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  Pay to Play - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By S500 - December 11 - 11:46 pm

  The car has been amazing to drive over the past two years, I purchased it with 50,000 miles thinking I was getting a steal, but in the past year the radiator has cracked and my front right air suspension went out. Both were close to 2 grand in repairs. When its running good its fantastic, but be careful past the 8 year mark

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  MY NEW E320 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By marl39 - December 9 - 2:00 am

  A VERY SMOOTH, LUXURIOUS, PRODUCT. SOMEWHAT UNDERPOWERED, ESPECIALY WITH 4 PASSENGERS. LOTS OF NICE FEATURES, GREAT BRAKES, SEATS & INTERIOR. SMALL ITEMS ARE MISSING, LIKE DOOR AJAR INICATOR, TRUNK AJAR. SOFTWARE FOR RADIO CONTROLS IS VERY POORLY DESIGNED.

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  My mechanic loves me! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By veryave - December 8 - 10:30 am

  I purchased my truck with about 70k miles in 2007. I have had nothing but trouble from this vehicle since i had it. Brakes go way too often, i have had to get some kind of rod replaced because it was making a crazy noise, also leaking in car, also alternator went and trans is starting to go and a few other repairs that were all fairly costly. when the truck is right its a great but ride but so many troubles make it not the purchase. my mechanic is a German car specialist and he flat out said these trucks are flat out headaches waiting to happen!

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  Hope for the best - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Juan C Aguilera - December 7 - 11:50 pm

  Since the purchase, the brakes were done, including the front and rear pads. The airconditioner compressor had a major leak, so it was replaced, check engine light on resulting in a tuneup because it had the wrong plugs, stability control light on/cruise control inoperative, replacing the brake switch corrected the problem. installed a K/N air filter, now highway mileage is 24.6 mpg at steady 65, not bad for the size and weight of this vehicle.