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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  Never Again - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Never_a_MB_AGAIN - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Bought ML320 used at 22K miles. Had it for 20 months, and got rid of it. The final straw was the failure of the third ESP/BAS unit. Wife drives my Volvo wagon with 230,000 miles because it was more reliable! ESP/BAS was replaced twice at $1800 each time, and needs replacing AGAIN! Fuel pump failed ($800); new rear struts ($250);"Check Engine" light on constantly. In 20 months, we spent over $5K in repairs - Plastic pices, trim and other interior parts were coming loose; wind noise; moon roof never would seal properly; window drive motor on its last legs (which I refused to put any more money into the car). NEVER NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY A MERCEDES BENZ

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  Better this year - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By larryd2756 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Traded in a 2000 on a 2004 and glad I did. Much improved: better ride, quieter, more power, dash controls much improved.

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  Think Twice Before Buying a BENZ!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bekri - July 21 - 2:00 am

  The truck was billed as Top of the Line with Mercedes Quality-While the engine performed well it was a PIG on as consumption!! The brakes went out after 11000 miles-unheard of for an American car let all the "top line" Mercedes truck- Also a number of minor problems such as a cracked storage bottle for washer fluid easy to break cup holders. Moreover, the service stinks-Mercedes was unwilling to assume any responsibilty for the brakes and wrote a letter saying in essence I was lucky to be driving a Mercedes. An underwhelming experience - Never again will I buy a Mercedes!!!!

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  Mercedes E55 AMG the BEAST - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Richard Weavil - July 21 - 2:00 am

  This is without a doubt the fastest sedan in the world.I have driven them all.This is as fast as a 12cyl Ferrari 575M and you can take 4 friends and their lugage with you in a luxurious cabin. Im sorry but the E55 leaves an M5 in the dust. Oh by the way it only has 469HP.

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  Best Car Ever - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By RJD1212 - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Best car I have ever owned and I now wonder why I did not consider MB before now. The c class is affordable and something I could have managed financially before the e class model. Overall MB is superior in many ways. I drove researched every sedan and SUV between $30K and $60k and think the E320 is perfect with regard to size, price, performance and options. I highly recommend the phenomenal voice- activated phone package with includes CD and radio. It makes it as safe or safer than listening to the radio while driving.

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  BEST OF THE BEST - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By RICHARD U NEELY - July 21 - 2:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE-A TAMED WILD ANIMAL

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  My first E class - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rocco FC - July 21 - 2:00 am

  One of the most comfortable Mercedes I have owned. As a shorter person in the past my SLK and CLK did not provide seating as comfortable as I would have liked. Some how the E class seating is very good for someone just over 5 feet tall. The engine is smooth and quiet and adequately powered. An interesting blend of conservative yet exciting styling.

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  Mercedes, now: bad cars, bad service. Take it from a customer of 15+ years - 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By tab10 - July 20 - 11:55 pm

  Until recently I had a MBZ C230 and E350. After 5+ years of owning my C230 I started having problems with it. I am not the kind of person who complains after owning a car for more than 5 years. This latest incident, though, with a newly leased 2013 E350 with bells and whistles has actually ended my relationship with Mercedes for good. I have already traded in my C230 for another car from another luxury car maker, I intend to trade in my E350 in due time. The 3 year lease on the E350 has more than 2 years left on it (so the incident described below happened with a car that is only ~10 months old).See below.See "suggested improvements" for incident

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  Total Package - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MercedesE430 - July 20 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Mercedes and I love it. It has everything. I was deciding between the E430 and the BMW 5-series and I just think the value is better with the E430. Also it looks better.

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  Mercedes-Benz - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Mahmoud - July 20 - 10:00 am

  Mercedes-Benz it is very good fantasitic very fast and comfort with good Performance