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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  Better than the SLK I traded in - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MA Benz Owner - March 24 - 4:36 am

  I owned two SLKs and fully expected to purchase another hard top convertible or "maybe" a sporty coupe. After shopping all the luxury convertibles I started looking at the coupes. I narrowed it down to the Audi A5, Infiniti G37 Convertible and then I drove the new e class. What a change from my SLK. It has everything since I went for the premium two package. Just returned from a road trip to VT - extremely comfortable. Only problem - it cruises at high speeds and you dont feel it - great ride and handling. Love the adaptive xeon headlights, voice controls, awesome stereo with every capability. Panoramic roof with sun shades. ... Gas mileage was 26.5 over 500 miles combined.

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  Maintenance Beware - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tru Facts B4 U buy - March 24 - 3:33 am

  Extremely happy with vehicle: performance, feel, handling, etc. Very unhappy with hidden maintenance. I expressed early concerns about this and all is not what it seems. 24k miles on vehicle atm 2 services A & B $700 (with discount coupons) need pads $230-$250, rotors $500-$650, 3 Tires (cant rotate uses dif. size on front and back) $270 Each For a total of $2410.00! When i said this is a bit much to service manager for a $30k car was told its normal maintenance. That adds minimum of $10K to cost of vehicle over a 6 yr period thats insane. When I said that the tires are warrantied for 50k miles or 48 months was told not against wear and tear only defects? Beware buyer get it in writing

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  you get what you pay for - 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Octavian Belcea - March 24 - 1:28 am

  After owning this car I cannot imagine owning anything better. My next choice would be the hybrid version (feeling a bit guilty at the pump).

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  This Car is No Good - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Goku - March 23 - 3:36 am

  When I started driving, it was very uncomfortable. When I got on the road, the car started slipping. Then it stopped slipping. So I went and drove home to my hometown, Chicago, IL. When I arrived, I turned into my street and my back wheel started drifting. It almost crashed but luckily it didt. The fuel in my tank was OK and it was better then my other car. It looks good but i will never rely on that car anymore. As soon as the weather is better Ill go and return the car. It was not ery fun to drive.

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  Great looks both in and out. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By maxell106 - March 23 - 2:13 am

  The most beautiful car I have ever owned, I was debating between this Mercedes and a BMW 325 but this car just looks 10 times better. The only complaint I have is that it does not have bluetooth, mp3, and ipod kit standard, even the Scion tc which is a $ 18k car has the ipod kit and it reads mp3 standard. But other than that its the best car for the money. Cant wait to get out of work for the drive home.

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  Issue with brakes - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By JJ - March 20 - 9:16 pm

  A Mercedes through and through, except the brakes. Same platform as the C class sedan and apparently same brakes which are not strong enough. Have to pump them once to get them to grab like they should. Dealership said theyve had similar complaints and MB is working on a resolution. They better do it quickly - braking is very below average and possibly dangerous.

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  Great car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jefecita - March 20 - 8:56 am

  I love this car. Handles great, comfortable. This is my fourth car in same E series. Mileage is better than posted. I average about 21 in mostly city driving. On the highway, I get around 28. Surprises me, but duplicated over many trips and years of driving. Complaint: the air conditioning is not great. We live in Arizona where this matters 6 months of the year. Unit is very slow to cool down the car, is very noisy when full on, and is inadequate in rear seats.

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  Mixed Review - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By FrostyPaw - March 20 - 2:00 am

  Drives wonderfully, but in 1 year weve replaced the wiper motors twice, had the driver window fail, the electrical system short out and had a rupture to the power steering fluid hose. Starmark doesnt cover much of anything and the service department is second class compared to BMW, Audi & Acura.

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  Love My Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dina H - March 20 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my 2002 C320 Sedan in November 2002. This is my first Mercedes and dont think Ill own anything else. I am impressed with the cars power, handling and styling. I am most impressed with the service department. I receive excellent service that I believe is indicative of Mercedes Benz.

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  Fun when it works - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Dissapointed - March 19 - 9:30 pm

  Great when it works. Fun to drive, quiet, responsive, nice style, but reliability is awful. Electronics are terrible. What a shame. Second Mercedes in a row that was a lemon. It also depreciated from $96,5000 new to under $50,000 in just a little under two years. Stay away! Look at Lexus LS instead.