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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  Disappointed - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By currentsearch - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Waited oh so long for this car. First Mercedes and all that but have to say that I am somewaht disappointed. Stereo reception is poor at best. Seats are really uncomfortable despite my best attempts to configure. The idea of having to pay extra for a CD player is a bit much. At the end of the day, should have gone with a used E or waited until I could afford a new E.

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  c230 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By egregory - January 12 - 2:00 am

  loving it so far, this car makes my hour long commute tolerable. on had one minor problem with the sunroof, i think i made the right choice for my first car.

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  Love my C Coupe! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By B - January 12 - 2:00 am

  The car is a great value. Handles well, comfortable seats for normal sized people (e-class seats are for heavier folks) It feels secure and extremely stable like a much larger car.

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  Terrific Vehicle - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Jeff - January 9 - 10:33 pm

  This vehicle is better than advertised. Its ride is very smooth with power when its needed. It handles well and has a tighter turning radius than expected. For the size of vehicle, the MPG is pretty good. Seats are very comfortable, especially the 2nd row seats -plenty of room. Our R-Class has plenty of options and it will take some time to learn, but it hasnt been too hard so far. Price was somewhat high, but not too far above some SUVs and lower than luxury SUVs. Meets our needs for a family of 5 extremely well and I highly recommend it for other families of similar size.

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  Whats with the rust? - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bissavi - January 9 - 2:50 pm

  Buyer beware! Buy something else, anything but this car! When I bought the car it had a couple of spots where the paint had bubbled up. Since then the car has been rusting worst than a tin can even though Ive been keeping it in the garage. Mercedes refused to address problem (5yr/50,000 mile nonsense). $3,000 body work. Also, paid $350 to replace airbag sensor in front passenger seat. Dealer claims it happened because a heavy person sat in the car (whats up with that?) Spent $150 on rear window actuator. Dealer said because I dont open that window very often the glass got stuck to the rim!!!??? Oh, yeah one of the catalytic converters was replaced too!

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  ML goes up in smokes - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dyoon001 - January 8 - 4:09 pm

  My daugther spilled some water in the back seat and within minutes, the wipers went wild (couldnt turn it off), the windows rolled down by themselves and various warnings signs came up on the dashboard (i.e. brake fluids malfunction). Then, smoke started to rise from the passenger side. This all happened while driving. How do you design a vehicle that malfunctions like that with a little bit of water spill? Why is the electrical panel located underneath the passenger side seat? What is the electrical system better protected? I think this should be a design defect and warrants a recall.

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  Great Design - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By pete51 - January 7 - 8:24 am

  I purchased this car as a certified pre-owned 12years ago, it was my first Mercedes. Until you have owned one for a period of time, you can not appreciate the brand and what Mercedes about. Over the years, we have made some costly repairs rear seal replacement and transmission replacement, but the car now has 257K on it and when compared to newer cars, I will still take my chances with this car. I have given it to my daughter as a first car, we considered a trade for new more up to date car, only problem we could not find a better safe first time car. Find a knowledgable Mercedes mechanic and enjoy a great car.

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  I love this SUV! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By GARY OBRIEN - January 7 - 5:20 am

  I test drove the BMW and Lexus SUVs and the Mercedes won hands down. I would never have bought this if it wasnt for the new design. I think the 2005 and prior models were very unattractive.

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  Perfect Blend of Performance and Luxury - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Robert Gross - January 6 - 2:50 am

  A relative bought a C32 three years ago and Ive been lusting after a similar car since. Drove the GTO - performance but not enough luxury. Drove the Acura RL - luxury but not enough performance. The C55 is a perfect blend. Needed a sedan to fit the grandkids. Needed an automatic to satisfy the wife. Did I compromise? Not in my book. I have a huge grin on my face every time I get in the C55 and fire up that big v8!

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  Great car! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Tina - January 3 - 5:00 pm

  8 years- the car looks brand new. Leather in a perfect condition. All electronics work great! Never had any problems with the car. Fun to drive! I love it.