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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  S500 disspointment - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By J-Castro - December 14 - 8:13 pm

  I owned the last generation S class and it was a lot better than this one. The interior looks cheap for a flagship model, the maintence fees are very high after the warranty is over and the value is down the toliet. I only put 8000 miles on it in a year and it has dropped so much in value. I should of bought a BMW instead

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  Best Merc <$60K - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By cmac - December 14 - 4:40 pm

  The car is FAST. But its also solid and stately as well. I really like how it handles and although the ergonomics took some time to get used to I am very happy with the layout of the interior. The seats are quite comfortable with the bolsters (comes with the appearance package) and the integration of the phone/ipod etc is quick and easy. The cupholders are perfect. The back seat has enough room for a short trip for people over 58" and a long trip for people under 58". I would say 60" is the limit in the back seat. The trunk is roomy for a coupe! The car looks really good in person (better than the pictures). Prepare to spend a lot for gas though, I am avg 15.9 MPG.

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  jays bullett - 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Jay Combs - December 14 - 12:27 pm

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  It does everything I need it to do - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jennifer 123 - December 14 - 10:00 am

  The first time someone asked me how I liked it - I found myself saying "It does everything I need it to do". Which after an extensive search at the time - was I tall order. I was happily amazed. Its a great work car, (work while stuck in traffic) use the integrated phone - great for taking clients and employees - and while working in san fransico - I found what it really could do - just propel itself up hills & navigate wet streets. Comfortable for long trips with the great seats. My back actually feels better when I get out of the car than when I started out the day driving. Great mileage on long trips. I havent had anything but good experiences.

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  Fun to drive - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Phil Fox - December 13 - 2:06 am

  We took European delivery of our E350. We drove 2100 miles without a hitch. Best car I ever purchased. Car drives like a dream at 100mph plus, yet can be driven gently around town and will please you equally. Ergonomic controls are great. Dynamic seats are worth every penny! With 268 hp engine up from last year, why buy the E500?

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  Great Driving E43 - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By E43 Owner - December 12 - 6:46 pm

  Our family already has 2 BMWs, so I came into this purchase with a bias. We bought an E43 Premium 3 after looking at other sport sedans in this price range (BMW 540, Audi S/A 6/7, Maserati Ghibli, Lexus GS were main options we considered). Even though some were slightly faster and more sporty looking, overall we chose the interior/exterior styling and capability combination of the E43. Weve had it for a month now, and so far so good... and so FUN! Even though we liked the e300 when it came out, I couldnt come to grips with the 4 cylinder - so the E43 offers a sporty-driving alternative to the e300 without the race capability (and 6-figure price) of the E63. The power is great, the options are awesome - and once you get used to using voice commands (we find them quickest vs. COMMAND system menus for some functions) its easy to master. Love Sport+ mode for fun and the option to go full-manual shift. Challenges so far: As some other reviewers, we have not been immune to software issues. Weve had strangely intermittent navigation and HD radio issues, with the dealer still waiting on the latest patch for one of the issues. Software issues alone keep me from rating 5 across the board. OVERALL: After one month and 1500 miles, we would definitely do it again!

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  My 2nd MLV8! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By RockyM - December 12 - 6:10 pm

  I traded in my 2006 ML500 for this 2008ML550 because I wanted a few more options such as a hitch and backup camera. My 06ML was wonderful and I had no problems for the three years I owned it! My new 08ML550 is awesome! The extra 80 hp makes it even more powerful (ML500 was fast to me) and the gas mileage is about the same! How do they do that? The quality is top notch and this vehicle is so much fun to drive! Love it!

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  Perfect- save for no manual trans option - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By botandrews - December 12 - 12:36 am

  Great car

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  Maxima was better! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By T. Boyd - December 11 - 10:50 pm

  The car is not what I expected. It is very bad on gas. It is also not dependable. But it is very comfortable and I wish I had kept my 2004 Maxima. The cost was more than we had wished on paying. So if I had to do it again I would have to say I would not!

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  Serious Speed in a Sedan - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By D Coz - December 11 - 9:50 am

  This is a first class car. It is quick off the line and even quicker when you accelerate from 70 up. The transition of power is real smooth and with the sport package wheels its flashy with a minimum of chrome. I love the car and all my friends envy me now. Best car Ive ever had. Buy one if you can afford it. Its slick!