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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  MERCEDES IS STILL A MERCEDES - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ZALMOXES - June 27 - 2:00 am

  INCREDIBLE CAR . THE RIDE WAS SMOOTH , THE ENGINE IS PEPY, THE INSIDE IS VERY ERGONOMIC. I WOULD PREFER A MERCEDES VS A BMW X-5, BUT DO NOT FORGET I AM 44

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  What a dream!!!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By eyelids - June 27 - 2:00 am

  Purchased my third Mercedes, and this is the best one yet. The E-320 with the Sport Package and Tectite Gray color. This is a head turner,and puts my wifes E-320 Wagon 2002 to shame. The leather seats are awesome, the surround sound stereo is better than my home unit. And, this baby kicks!!

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  Great car, great gas mileage - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RLUNDER - June 26 - 6:30 pm

  I like everything about this car but was really suprised by the excellent gas mileage. After about 10,000 miles my overal mixed mileage is 23.9 MPG, I have gotten up to 29.0 MPG. On a recent 1200 mile road trip I was amazed to see my mileage climb to 31.5 MPG. That was over 890 miles, 13 hours with an average speed of 68 MPH. and all on 93 octane gasoline

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  Economic Magnificence - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Chaz - June 26 - 10:50 am

  I could not believe that a working man could own a Benz w/5 year, 50K mile all inclusive plan for the same price as a moderate class GM or other American car. The car is flawless, gets 30+ MPG and is a blast when using the tap shifter with the rev limiter. Winding roads are fun. It has that classic Mercedes feel on the road. I have driven it 45K miles and have had it serviced by the dealer. It has cost me nothing except brake pads and I replaced them myself. Theres not a shake, rattle or roll in the car. I smile every time I get to drive it.I have owned a new Lincoln, Chrysler, Volkswagon, Chevys and my Benz beats them all. I bought a twin Benz in 2003 for my wife. Bravo! Mercedes

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  Sweet - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By AnEE - June 25 - 10:43 am

  This is a sweet drive. It is definitely a drifter. Hitting the pedal while turning will cause fishtailing as it it too powerful. Sometimes it feels like driving a bar of butter on a hot-plate. .. Backend is unruly until traction control kicks in (a second or 2). Otherwise, awsome car.

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  2005 G 55 K - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By G baby - June 25 - 10:00 am

  I am actually writing regarding the 2005 G 55 K (you do not have a rating page for it yet). Edmund, I have to say that I respectfully disagree with your review of that truck. I own one of the first to arrive here in the US (if not the first one), and this truck is OUT OF THIS WORLD. This is the best looking, most trilling truck on the market. The drive is incredible, and uncomparable. The truck sounds like a sport car, speeds like one AND has everything you would want in a truck.

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  Best Ever! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gmesetmtch1 - June 25 - 10:00 am

  After having driven this car for a few months and reflecting on my ownership experience with previously owned upscale sedans I have determined this is, by far, the best car I have ever had. Mercedes has done an excellent job of engineering and elimininating all the negatives one may have heard about a diesel car. I defy you to find a better combination of performance, luxury and value!

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  about my experience - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Charlie - June 25 - 2:43 am

  this vehicle is a thunder for curbes. this vehicle is safe when comes to brake question. this vehicle is otherwise a fast,quality,safe,reliable,but the interior is getting lame... its out of style and needs something new...to beat other concurents

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  The Best SL Yet - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Jimmy - June 24 - 1:23 am

  This is the third SL I have owned, having purchased new a 1986 and a 1996 now my 2006, which by the way I still own all three. All three cars are completely different, However the 2006 is by far my favorite. It has all the features I need and more. I love being able to have a hardtop with the convertable ability. The 2 previous cars were a little difficult at times. I had to park the hardtop for the summer with a 2 person process of on or off. The look is beautiful. I have to say though all three are beautiful.

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  Flawless - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Tom Smith - June 21 - 8:06 pm

  This car is simply flawless. I have yet to find fault with it-The seats are wonderful, the ride is excellent, and the handling is amazing for such a large SUV. Test drove Q7, R Class, Escalade, Escalade ESV, and QX, only the ESV had a roomier third row, and the q7s 3rd row was smaller then my wifes BMW x3. The Escalades dash was a little nicer but it looked to flashy and no fold flat third row. The heated and cooled cup holders were very nice though and wish this car had them.Overall this car is perfect, and would highly recommend to anyone with a large family. Its served mine of 7 and 2 dogs very well, so well in fact Im selling my wifes x3 for one of these. Will be buying 2 more in a year.