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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  King of the road - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Jimnatlga - January 27 - 10:00 am

  This is arguably the finest super coupe on the road. Period. The CL600 is sleek, sexy and the craftmanship is suberb. Awesome power, sporty yet luxurious. I cant even imagine how Mercedes could improve this car. Simply gorgeous...king of the road.

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  Best car Ive ever had - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Luchie - January 27 - 10:00 am

  I used to drive E 300 before and I wasnt impressed at all w/ the comfort of driving it. I didnt like Mercedez not until I drove S 500 4 door sedan.The comfort and power is really good it gives the power I needed when I need it.Bose sound system is excellent and the heated/cooling seats I loved it.I also loved the size of it sleek not too wide.

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  Fun to drive - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Micki - January 27 - 10:00 am

  My car is so much fun to drive. This is my fourth MB, no other car Ive had has matched the performance of a MB. Comfortable, on long trips no more backaches. Reliability and dealer service has been great in the past. Stability and control excellent. Had an incident on I20 to come face to face with a deer. The deer and my husband missed each by mere inches, after a swere to miss the deer the car straightened out and we preceding on. Lucky for the deer and us that we were driving a MB! I am certain.

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  So far so good - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By William - January 25 - 7:46 pm

  Traded an 03 E320 for this 06 E320 CDI. The diesel is so quiet you dont know its there. Plenty of power and lots of nice features like nav system and Harmon-Kardon radio, rear sunshade. Better cupholder/center console layout than the 03. Only had it for two weeks but well pleased thus far.

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  Had to downsize - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By keoki - January 25 - 5:50 pm

  Previously owned an "S" class and had to downsize. The feel is still MB! Solid as a rock and good handling to boot. I cant figure out why anyone would buy a vehicle that "looks" like a Benz, when you can actually own one without breaking the bank. I purchased this vehicle used but in mint condition. I had the finish "clay- barred" by a local detail shop and the finish looks like a mirror. If you are not a lead foot (easy to do) you will get 30mpg. When you drive this vehicle hard, it acts like it really wants to rock hard! This is a keeper.

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  The Jekel and Hyde of sports cars - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By William Edwards - January 24 - 11:26 pm

  Due to its active suspension (ABC) it can cruise like a S-class but it stiffens up for almost no lean in the fun twistees and corners-Amazing! The transmission senses when you need punch and adjusts to your driving style by the second-a great feature since your driving reactions can be so dynamic in todays crazy traffic. You can adjust the way the car handles from comfort to sport (including ride height) with a push of a button. The 7 speed auto- transmission can also be changed from comfort to sport for that all-out sports car performance. Great V8 engine- very smooth but has incredible low range torque and all the power you might want.

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  Waited nine month and its been worth it - 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By amhjms - January 24 - 10:40 pm

  Im a bit of a car freak and after carefully considering the options (Q7, X5, Lexus) decided to wait for the newly designed Benz. Wow, it took a long time, at least partially due to the options we elected. We picked up the car on Tuesday and it is beautiful. We did Arctic White with the special order Black dash/ carpet/headliner with Almond seats and door accents. We also ordered matte wood. It drives like a dream, is very comfortable and has outstanding build quality. We love it and I really believe this one will keep us happy for the decade we plan to keep it.

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  WORLDS BEST CAR - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By G500 Enthusiast - January 24 - 2:00 am

  This is the nicest car ever made. Its so beautiful and runs so smoothly. You get looks from everyone and you feel so supreme!

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  Great Car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By CL Lover - January 24 - 2:00 am

  Best car Ive ever owned. Anyone that critizes this car doesnt really own one. Nearly perfect!

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  clk da bomb - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jeepercreeper2 - January 24 - 2:00 am

  excellent vehicle. great interior features and beautiful exterior. amazing ride. best car i have ever riden in.