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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  This car has everything! Performance/Styling/ Comfortable - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By jkhlok - October 14 - 8:15 pm

  I have owned many fun cars to drive such as the BMW M3 M5 and M6. I have also owned a modified BMW 335i and Volvo S60R. I have a 1 year old son so I wanted something that could COMFORTABLY fit my family in the vehicle but also something I could take out to car shows and car events. If you havent sat in the back of a W220 you should try it. PLENTY of leg room in the back seat. The car delivers plenty of power for everyday driving! Over 500lbs of tq and almost 500hp from the factory. What more would you ask for?

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  not again - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By stuf - October 14 - 2:00 am

  This auto has fantastic styling and engineering yet lacks reliability. The electrical system has had several problems since I reached mile 16. I have had the instrument cluster replaced 6 times for malfunctions. The automatic windows have been reset or replaced 9 times. The best attribute of this auto has been the great gas mileage 23/30.

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  ML 350 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By EAGLE - October 14 - 2:00 am

  With all the packages really makes vehicle looko like a high class SUV, and drive is smooth like a car.

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  Mercedes S Class - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By brokerbj - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I never thought I would have an S Class but I do now and I love it. One of my friends has the large BMW and I thought that was the ultimate car until I got my 500. I LOVE IT and will keep it forever!!!!!!!!!

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  S600 04 startup glitches - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Sixftr - October 14 - 2:00 am

  Second day, car failed to start. Roadside service hung up on me. Battery replaced, seems ok. Two days later, radio sound went out, came back after setting over night. Repeat a week later. Mercedes service discovered a software upgrade to computer system that had to be orderd. Motor for active suspension replaced.

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  Excellent Choice - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By steve s - October 14 - 2:00 am

  Had my mind made up to buy BMW 3 series, but the C320 was a lot more fun and smoother. Gave the Audi a shot but no comparison. I am very happy with my C320.

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  E320 - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By servantkrb - October 13 - 10:00 am

  This car is nice!

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  Its been a good car. - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By DI - October 12 - 9:23 pm

  We bought the car used with 64,000 miles on it. Its been a very good car, fairly reliable, but routine maintenance at the dealer has been expensive. Good gas mileage for its size, good cargo area for my needs. Now has 112,000 miles and motor still great. Never left me stranded, but my clock stopped working last year and instrument panel would have to replaced at a cost of $1,000, so not doing that. Comfortable for me, but not my husband who is tall... he doesnt have near enough leg room, and even getting into the vehicle is a tight fit for him. It needs about another 6-8" of leg room for people over 6 ft. Back window wiper is loud. I still have the original radio which is pretty useless.

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  Too expensive to maintain!!!!! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rich - October 12 - 6:36 pm

  I have never written a review on a car until this one. It has been soo expensive to repair I felt I had to warn people not to buy the car. The rear windows use some sort of plastic strap to make them go up and down and they dry rot. They have broken 4 times in my ownership and it cost $600 each. Service is 300-700 every 7,000 miles. Every time you bring it in for service there is something new that will cost you another $500. The most recent issue is they said the rubber boots around my axles are cracking and they want $1,200 to fix it. Thats right not that the axles are out just the BOOTS and it is going to be $1,200. I am buying a LEXUS or ACURA next.

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  This car saved my life...literally. - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Carolina - October 12 - 9:33 am

  In March 2010, I was at a stop light routinely waiting my turn to proceed forward. Without warning, I saw the grill of a GMC SUV for a split second before it crashed into the rear of my car. Police estimated that the vehicle was traveling between 35-40 mph. Though the Benz was totaled and I sustained injuries - Im here to tell you that this car saved my life. The standard safety features the C300 offers speaks volumes about Benz build quality... Thank you Mercedes-Benz.