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:

• 

  Excellent choice - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Garlen - August 29 - 7:50 pm

  We ordered one with iPod connection, trailer hitch, Parktronic, running boards - no packages. The factory messed up the order the first time, the dealer did everything possible and the re-order was correct. We could not be happier after a thousand miles or so. We have a Garmin Nuvi 660 for GPS, so the navigation problems people mention do not effect us.

• 

  Old Reliable - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By andy - August 27 - 9:46 pm

  This vehicle has been terrific to own and drive. It is comfortable and extremely reliable. I have only had one major repair, when the condenser went bad after 8 years. Beyond that, virtually all that has been needed is routine maintainence. The vehicle is roomy inside, and has a very large trunk. I have put on 186K miles and have never had a problem with either the engine or transmission.

• 

  WOW! - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By herefordzone - August 27 - 1:16 pm

  I have had the E300D for about 10 days now, driving 800 miles. Nice, solid feeling, very comfortable. Gas mileage seems to be around 32mpg city and highway combined. Very well made- the car is in excellent shape for being 10 years old. Handles ok in snow, may be better with different tires.

• 

  Best car I ever owned. - 2013 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By John Riggenbach - August 27 - 5:37 am

  I have owned a whole bunch of cars. Of those cars I owned and drove, four of them were Mercedes. This one is by far the nicest and best.

• 

  Certified Pre-Owned Dream - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gleasy Sue - August 25 - 7:56 pm

  Arctic White with P1 package (18" wheels, Sirius, heated seats, etc,). I was originally looking at a brand new C300 4MATIC but was disappointed that the C350 did not have an all wheel drive option. My other car is an 02 WRX and I was not looking to buy a naturally aspirated and less inspiring performer, which I found to be the case after driving the C. I picked up this beauty, fully loaded with the remainder of the original warranty, plus 100,000 miles that comes with the CPO status. This vehicle is absolutely stunning. I am very pleased with the acceleration and handling and am glad I did not choose to compromise with the C. Gas mileage, MB- E350>MB-C300>Subaru WRX. Love it!

• 

  The best! - 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By John - August 25 - 1:17 pm

  Get a warrentee if you buy it used

• 

  There is nothing else like it ! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By cmm - August 25 - 10:00 am

  Have had absolutely no problems with it, except someone felt they needed my hood ornament more than I did. Replacement cost was 7 bucks and theyve got boxes at the dealership. As for the window dropping on the auto up problem, I called the 1-800 # and they walked me thru a how to correct it with window button. Its actually a choice.

• 

  MB 230 COUPE WITH AUTO - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By baddog5309 - August 25 - 10:00 am

  i have experienced no problems with the Vehicle for the first 5000 miles of ownership combines outstanding performance with great milage and plenty of room inside for a 6.5 footer weighing 240

• 

  Best Luxury SUV out there - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By John - August 25 - 2:20 am

  We traded in our old ML for this one. We looked at the BMW, Audi, Lexus, Infinity, and Acura (wife wouldnt consider the Denali). This is by far the best vehicle if you plan on using the 3rd row, a real person fits back there. This handles like a big S class. Overall its not too big, not too small, performs beautifully, and fit and finish is as good as it gets. Best luxury SUV out there.

• 

  Best Car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Brett Dunlap - August 24 - 3:53 pm

  Best car ever made, period