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:

• 

  Practical Luxury - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By JB - July 31 - 2:20 am

  16 Months ago the third child came along! We need a Minivan. Im not gonna drive it! You gonna drive it? No way! Brought the ML in for scheduled visit and this "Huge Wagon" is sitting in the showroom. Wow!! Some what like a minivan. (Just dont call it one...the sales staff gets offended). It is so car-like you forget youve got the whole family with you!! The girls love to sit in the way back and look for birds and planes! The little man sits high in the second row and sees everything! I love the shift lever simplicity. Dash is elegant yet simple. Nav wonderful. Gas mileage is what I expected. Comfort and quietness among the best. If you can afford it, you cannot beat it!

• 

  Granite Gray 230K - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mickey25 - July 31 - 1:46 am

  Truly a phenomenal vehicle. The dealer really tried to sell me on the automatic 230K on the lot, so glad I got the 6 speed manual. Not only is the manual smooth, you are able to use that supercharged 4 cyl. to its fullest potential. The rear quarters are a little cramped, however I bought this car to drive not to ride in. My son has enough room for his car seat and other misc. items in the rear and myself and the wife are quite comfortable up front. I traded in my 03 Navigator so I knew going in I was losing space, but definitely saving at the pump. Overall I highly recommend this car!

• 

  My Benz - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tanja - July 29 - 8:10 pm

  My ownership experience with this car has been outstanding from the day I purchased it to this day (almost two years). It is beautiful, reliable, easy to maneuver, and very quiet. Absolute joy to own!

• 

  This is a great car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By marcEG - July 29 - 10:00 am

  Purchased my C240 in December 2002 and have driven it about 3,600 so far. The ride quality and handling are excellent - significantly improved over the last C-class I drove (1998). Although some might say 2.6L engine may be a little weak, overall I find the acceleration fine. For the price you get a well equipped vehicle with loads of safety features - some of which arent even offered on the competition. So far only one very minor problem - the outside temperature gauge was reading the incorrect temp. This was fixed in one short visit to the dealer.

• 

  Launch Edition 2003- Outstanding Vehicle - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By giffSCPA - July 29 - 10:00 am

  After 13,400 miles and 14 months of driving in all kinds of weather - snow, ice, sun, I find the car performs in an outstanding manner. The cars brake by wire is great. Also, all traction features make car fun to drive. Total reliability in first 14 months is outstanding!

• 

  Best Car Ever - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By terry - July 28 - 10:23 pm

  Ive had 3 other MBs, a BMW, a Jaguar, and a Cadillac-this car beats them all-easily. Great ride coupled with excellent road feel, I can drive 8 hours and leave the cockpit feeling refreshed, 30/31 mpg at 75 mph-and only routine maintenance, brakes, and tires. Its not marriage material but next best!

• 

  The German tank - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By THE VIKING - July 27 - 8:46 am

  The most overengineered MBZ ever built. Love the Black leather, dont get the beige or gray. Even has a parking assist in 1997 ! I love this car. Best driving car I have ever driven. Parts are very $$$ if you buy this used. You can get one for 7K, but make sure it has been taken care of. Mileage is meaningless on this car. Maintenance is most important, and a good mechanic. These cars can go to 1,000,000 miles actually. I think its in the world record book. The car drives like a sports car. The car is very heavy, so get the S500, not the weaker S430 or S300, there too weak to pull this much weight. And get black interior.

• 

  ML430 is a Good Vehicle - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Christopher R. - July 27 - 8:43 am

  We have owned a 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML430 vehicle for four years. It has been extremely reliable. This is our second Mercedes and wont be our last. I recommend keeping up on service. We have had no problems. I do wish the front leg room was just a little bit bigger. I am 61" and it could be just a little longer.

• 

  One Nice Ride! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Gaman - July 27 - 6:03 am

  I traded in my 2003 E500 for this ML500. I loved my previous Mercedes but when I test drove the M500 I was in love!! This vehicle is awsome!! I have had it a month and I just cannot believe how much I enjoy driving it! It drives as good as my E but has more room and the quality of workmanship is even better!! I cant wait for Spring to take it out for country drives!!

• 

  ML430 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Joe - July 27 - 5:40 am

  Bought a Starmark vehicle. Wonderful vehicle! Dont understand the comments about fuel mileage. I get better than the EPA estimate. What do you expect from a truck? Solid as a rock and not top heavy feeling like other SUVs.