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:

• 

  Beware of the brake! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By David Tsuei - February 27 - 6:26 am

  This ML55 was meant for my wife, and she does love this SUV. But the biggest problem with it, is the braking system. It was a nightmare! The disc only lasted less than 10k, over the 4yrs of ownership. We have spend over $4k on the brake job alone! As I have found out that MB has one of the worst braking systems in the world, and the worst part is that they insisted there are nothing wrong with it! I strongly suggest all consumers not to purchase MB, until they resolve the problems. Most of the other problems are minimum, as it comes with all luxory cars. We drive BMWs now, its a step down. But at the least, we dont have to worry about the maintenance!

• 

  A Quality vehicle - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By bj - February 27 - 1:06 am

  I loved this car from the minute we saw it. We were planning to buy Ford or Chevy, but once we stopped at the Mercedes dealer, we couldnt leave without this car. It is an absolute pleasure to drive. We had to have a rear shock replaced, but no other problems after 20 months. Brake pads were worn out after only 15,000 miles which was a shock and disappointment, especially when we found out the cost to replace them. Apparently this is normal for Mercedes brakes. Its a great car, but expensive maintenance.

• 

  Powerful luxury entry car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By score1144 - February 27 - 12:56 am

  Good balance of luxury and performance at entry and compete well againt other euro cars. I was looking for cool car after driving a Toyota Corolla for 12 years without any problem and got bored. I ended up here after starting with 2007 Camry XLE V6. I am very happy and looking forward to enjoy this car for long time.

• 

  Last of the Hand-Built Mercedes Cabrios - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By ESF - February 25 - 12:36 pm

  The 2009 CLK 550A, (Cabriolet), is among the finest sports cars/crusers of its type. The 6 year run has truly perfected the designs performance and comfort to an unparalleled level in its class. Crafted largely with non- robotics,(i.e.,by hand), the CLK 550A, (Cabriolet),is a driving enthusiasts pleasure to drive and a passengers pleasure to sit in, as it renders a cruiser like ride, even at speed. Though not spacious, even the rear seats are comfortable and very usable for two average size adults. Due to its driving characteristics and classic, non-faddish looks, the CLK 550A will be missed when replaced late in 2010 by the redesigned E class Cabrio. Newer design is not always better design.

• 

  Design, Safety, Performance and Luxury - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By ADP - February 25 - 2:00 am

  The CL55 is a supercar. Its dynamic performance matches that of a number of two seat sports cars that are widely considered supercars. Despite the performance capabilities, the car is quite comfortable and quiet. The Automatic Body Control is amazing, as are the brakes. The build quality is very good. My experience with the car has been entirely satisfactory.

• 

  Reasonable cost-performanced car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Hiro Okutsu - February 25 - 2:00 am

  This car is good choice among drivers who require standard function plus alpha (=value-added) on SUV and are seeking more simple one. The features described are telling the truth.

• 

  MERCEDES E500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By KAREN - February 25 - 2:00 am

  THIS IS ONE FINE AUTOMOBILE

• 

  All that glitters is not Gold - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bar L - February 25 - 2:00 am

  Fell in love with it at dealership, all the cool features and gizmos. Worked for a while then I realized it was a lot of gadgetry, poorly thought out and designed for a good first impression. Than reality set it. Electronics worked about a month, then started going caput, one thing after another. Never even sure the radio will play till it does. Cheap plastic parts breaking etc.Not near the quality I expected and not near as reliable as or functional as my old99 Navigator or my wifes 03 Navigator. That is a real car! God help the person who gets it after the warranty expires!

• 

  Fantastic except for the bad paint job - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By David Edwards - February 24 - 4:26 pm

  I traded in my 2007 SLK that I had purchased new in March of 2007. It was a nice car, but tight on space and not very comfortable. The CLK Cabriolet is fantastic. The seats are the most comfortable I have set in ... even better than our 2008 Lexus LS 460. The Harmon Kardon stereo is incredible. The ride is crisp yet smooth and it literally glides over the roads. Some of the speakers vibrated at first with any significant bass, but this seems to have subsided quite a bit. The Irridium Silver paint is beautiful in lower light or artificial light, but in sunlight, you see the problems with the metallic paint...looks like it was painted with a spray can. Moral, dont buy on a cloudy day.

• 

  Cool car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By xolilmariaxo - February 24 - 10:00 am

  I just brought the ML320 and i think it is a great car. Easy and fun to drive. I also have the SL500 and the Ml320 is more comfortable. Easy to park. Looks great in every color. Eats a lot of gas. oo the acceleration is not to great, you can push the accelerater down to the floor and the car will still go the same speed, it needs a few seconds to build up. Other then that i think its a great car.