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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  Seat Belt problem?? - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By sab2k - November 15 - 10:00 am

  I love this car, but the drivers seatbelt starting acting up. I took it in three times in two weeks with a persistent and recurring problem. Anyone out there had a similar problem? How was it resolved? Anyone out there with similar experiences at Caliber? Could be the dealers service personnel not trained sufficiently to work on thee masterpieces.

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  BIG PROBLEM - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BIG PROBLEM - November 15 - 10:00 am

  Purchased new for my wife, It was in shop more days than she drove it, They said it was a computer problem, who knows? Had a S-class before, will purchase LEXUS for her. Let M/Benz get the bugs out of this one first!!!!

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  Dont do it! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dan_the_man1 - November 15 - 6:16 am

  My wife and I purchased a 2004 MB 350 with 32,000 miles on it, thinking we would have a high quality vehicle for many years. We were half right. The vehicle is now ten years old and we have had one problem after another. At 52,000 miles the water pump broke. MB would not stand behind it. Shortly thereafter, we discovered the power steering was leaking. The bearing in the front wheel drive needs to be replaced. Now a light module is defective, discharging the battery almost daily. Its been one problem after another. Buy a Lexus or Acura!

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  C230 what A car! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jh007d - November 14 - 2:03 am

  I recently bought C230. And, this is one of the kind. For the price, I actually get more than I paid for.

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  This Mercedes is Junk - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By legendtype2 - November 13 - 10:20 am

  My girlfriend bought it and at 400 miles powersteering rack was replaced due to grinding noise. At 5,600 miles idler pulley was replaced due to engine noise. Same day sunroof stopped working. My point, its fun to drive, but not really reliable. Do yourself a favor by getting something else. Even Hyundai has better reliability.

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  The Greatest Car I Have Ever Owned - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Damian Zuri - November 13 - 9:00 am

  I cant say enough about this car. The fit and finish are 2nd to none. I love the Burl Walnut wood. The manager explained the high strength low alloy steel that Mercedes is famous for. This gives the car a secure heavy feel for the road and is rated extremely high in crash tests. I drove the V-6 and was impressed with th 268 horsepower but fell in love with the V-8...wow! Air conditioned/heated seats are a nice addition to the soft leather. This car was leased and I must say there is a good chance Ill buy this car when the lease is over.

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  Perfect car !!! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By gottlieb - November 13 - 7:31 am

  2008 Bluetec E320 is the best everyday car! averaging 37 mpg highway, 30 mpg combine, plenty of power, handling is excellent, best interior design, comfortable in long driving, perfect ergonomic design, perfect car.

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  Love everything about it. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Nina - November 12 - 7:50 pm

  I went in the dealership planning to trade in my MB for the E350 until I spotted the CLS550 in the showroom. I didnt bother checking out the E350. Im so happy I got the CLS550. The car handles the road very well. Everyone stares at the car when youre on the road. Its a beauty! Its sporty and classy at the same time.

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  Best combo of comfort and speed! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By augie - November 12 - 3:23 pm

  This car has been great. We picked it up in July, and have had it for a month now! Bought it with just over 20k miles, for under $40 grand! Amazing of fthe line, the best handling Ive ever experienced, and great build quality! You cant beat it for the price nor the speed!

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  The new ML-350 is fun to drive - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Shawn - November 12 - 1:30 pm

  The new ML looks sharp inside out. I traded my 2003 E-320 for the new ML-350 and just love it.