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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  Love this car! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Judy Spooner - November 3 - 10:00 am

  We picked up our car in Germany and had a ball driving it on the autobaun. We did the Mercedes-Benz Black Forest trip which was excellent! Ride is great, trunk space is spacious, everyone loves the interior halo lights. Minor complaint is the light interior, that was the only choice at the time. All in all we get a lot of compliments on this car. Our previous car was a Jaguar XJ8 and it received a lot of compliments on looks, but this car gets a broader scope of compliments!

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  More car than I expected - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By nwmind - November 3 - 10:00 am

  This Black On Black CLK500 Cabriolet is a pleasant surprise. The new engine and transmission with the paddle shifter is very slick and gives the driver great control when performance is needed. The leather is superb and the top is of the finest quality available. Top is very fast up and down 17 seconds and looks great both ways. The car is very quiet with the top up, quieter than my accura 3.2TLS sedan. I got this car because it has two personalities. One that it looks like a black coupe with a sporty business appearance with the top up and a fun sporty runabout with the top down. Rear seat is very comfortable and has more headroom than the coupe. T

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  a geat car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Victor G Zilinskas - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I have owned, in the past, BMW M3 and 540i, MB S500, etc. By far, this is my favorite car. Great balance of performance, luxury, size, and it is beautiful. I believe that the time of 5.8 seconds of 0-60 is accurate. The cornering ability, with maximum stiffness of suspension, rivals the BMWs. The fun factor is the tops. All in all, my favorite car of all times.

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  Mercedes C240 AWD - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By KDH1114 - November 3 - 10:00 am

  You cannot beat this car for the price. It is safe, handles well, looks good and is fun to drive. And best of all, its a Mercedes!

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  Awesome car... - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mconde01 - November 3 - 12:43 am

  I test drove the BMW 3 series, Lexus IS300, and the Acura TL and none could compare to the overall package. This car has the right balance of luxury and sport. The car drives like a dream and the new 2005 updates make the car flawless. The 189 hp drives like a 6 cylinder and the car gives you awesome gas mileage. This car was well worth the wait, I had to order my car so it took me almost 3 months to get my baby. The Mercedes feel and quality is by far unmatched. Even driving at 130 mph the car is so silent and smooth. The brakes are awesome other than the frequent brake dust, but the rims are so easy to clean.

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  Better than Lexus - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Mario - November 2 - 11:53 pm

  More power than the Lexus RX300 and 330 combined. Feels like the SUV is glued to the road and you feel safer than the Lexus. Imangine, 7 gears in its class, it runs better than some 8 cylinder SUVs.

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  Coupe/Sedan Combo - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Factoid Junkie - November 1 - 7:43 pm

  Fabulous drive - handling is terrific - interior appointment sumptuous - love the sound system - keyless go is a must - unanticipated extra in the changing hydraulics - Nappa leather is soft!

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  Nice Car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By John - October 31 - 10:20 pm

  I have had my C230 for a year now with no trouble. The performance has been enhanced by the addition of a K&N air filter. This simple install has given me a little more low end power and much better gas mileage. I am getting 32 MPG very easily. For the money I do not know how you could do much better. Had an Audi A4 3.0Q and like the Benz much better.

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  Great starter benz - 2013 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jurrell - October 28 - 4:30 am

  ive been researching about this car for months and im going to say what i wanted others to say in their reviews. the car isnt huge, but it is roomy im 57 and i fit prefect in the back seat, my step-father who is at least 6 foot also fit fine in the back, of course hes not going to want to be there for a long drive or a road trip but this car isnt small for the average person or average family. the power another story, there isnt much turbo lag maybe 2 or 3 seconds then youre off!. forgot to mention the system for the younger buyers that like that kind of thing its a great system. its no hardon kardon system but it will do its job and do it well. overall if youre looking for a starter benz

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  MY Mercedes - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By naiyly - October 27 - 2:36 am

  I love my Mercedes....it is sporty and sleek handles beautiful...It drives fast and is built solid. It has a nice interior..and I wont drive anything other than a Mercedes C320.