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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  Doesnt get much better! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ken95742 - May 2 - 10:00 am

  Wow! As a sport model, its the perfect harmony between luxury and sportiness.

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  excellent - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bernice - May 2 - 10:00 am

  this car is in mint condition. I have owned it since I bought it. It is garaged most of the time, when it is not being driven. It has been maintained on a regular schedule.

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  Nothing really - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By WhatAName - May 2 - 10:00 am

  This car handles great, acceleration is pretty decent, still in break in period. Interior design is beautiful. the longer you stay in this vehicle, the more detail and appreciation you have for this car.

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  The Bomb - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By - May 2 - 10:00 am

  This car is the bomb.I was a lexus owner and made the change to the benz.Best move I ever made.The car looks and handles great.There is nothing that looks better on the road.The interior looks great and is very confortable

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  Awesome car! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Chris - April 30 - 4:33 pm

  Best car yet! This is my 3rd convertible, but 1st Mercedes.

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  Bucket list car - 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By John Dickinson - April 29 - 11:19 pm

  It eats tires and brakes, and will cost you more for gas as it is lucky to get 16mpg if you do not drive on freeway every day. Definitely would be the car if you did a lot of open road driving at higher speeds. Lots of power for passing even at high speeds. Quiet and great ride.

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  Love the Car! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Pamkf - April 29 - 3:53 pm

  I bought the Benz a couple of weeks ago and love it. I have been a loyal BMW fan for the last 10 years, but wanted a change. The E550 is the perfect car. Full of power, and leaps ahead at the slightest press on the accelerator. Nice tight German car steering. The car is quiet and purrs along with a very smooth ride, which is quite different then the bone rattling ride that I had with my BMW 530 with run flat tires. The car itself is gorgeous with clean, classic lines, and a beautiful interior. As expected the gas mileage is not great, but you dont buy a V-8 engine expecting to get excellent mileage. Love the car so much that it is a disappointment to get to work in the morning.

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  Love it - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rob - April 28 - 11:56 am

  This is my fourth Mercedes Benz car and by far the one I like most. I bought it for my wife as she wanted to downsize out of a Land Rover which was the biggest piece of junk I have ever owned (bought out of a lease 15 months ahead). The Mercedes has plenty of room for my three children and the best safety rating for a family sedan. We live in he north east so we opted for the 4- Matic AWD system. The overall look and feel of the car are fantastic. Plenty of power and a terrific ride quality and handling make it a pleasure to drive. The gas mileage is actually quite good for a large car with 270HP but and it is an enormous upgrade over the 9 MPG city we got in the truck.

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  Another jewl from Stuttgart - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BMW Slayer - April 28 - 10:00 am

  Hands down the best car Ive ever owned. Solid build quality and breath taking performance. The acceleration and tight handling allow you to jump in and out of traffic with ease. The cabin is comfortable and functional, though it could do with some more usable storage up front. The only unscheduled maintenance has bee a recurring problem with the lighting system causing it to burn out bulbs about every six months. Fortunatly the vehicle has auxillary lamps that function in place of the main ones when they fail, so the car remians safe to drive until it can be serviced.

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  1999 E320 Wagon - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By j tobis - April 25 - 7:00 pm

  This wagon got better as the miles were put on. (41,000) Very smooth and noiseless, has more power than needed, and a dream to drive. Cupholders could have been more convenient. Sound system is superb. My wife is not crazy about rear facing seats in 3rd row. I will drive it until it drops.