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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  A Fluke Death? - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Wanda M. - June 9 - 10:18 pm

  Original owner. The dealer check up before the trip was $948. At 58,000 miles the transmission/torque converter has crashed suddenly without warning! Stranded 2,000 miles from home. The BB value is $2,500 to $4,000 ,but the repairs are going to be $7,500. Without the repairs the car is just scrap parts or a donation to a schools automotive program.

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  1999-ML430 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bearman - June 9 - 2:00 am

  My first Benz so i cant really compare to other Benzs but i can compare to the other vehicles ive owned,This SUV is a blast to drive and wonderful on a trip,Right after i bought it i went to Kansas on a hunting trip,16 hours of driving, good mileage, rode well,plenty of storage for gear,the 4.3 V8 has plenty of power,love it!

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  Its a great car when it starts - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gael - June 9 - 2:00 am

  We purchased this car used with 59000 miles on it. After 6 days, the right rear window motor went out - ch-ching! And then, about a month later, we noticed the A/C wasnt working very well - ch-ching! And now the stupid car takes 2 or 3 hits to start - and I know this will be the MacDaddy ch- ching - I dread it. Am currently searching for a trade deal so I can unload this POS on some other sucker. If you are thinking about buying Mercedes, think it over carefully and then shoot yourself in the foot if you decide to go through with it. Get it over with.

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  MERSADEXZ SL 500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By ROBBIE - June 9 - 2:00 am

  FUN AND VERY BEAUTIFUL CAR TO HAVE

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  BUY A JAPANEESE CAR, NOT MERCEDES - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mrios - June 9 - 2:00 am

  I must admit this is by far the worst car I have ever bought. I must add that the Mercedes-Benz customer service depertment in New Jersey is not much better, actually they need to call it "Cusatomer Avoidance". Very poor attention to customer needs. My engines top end (Head) blew at about 13,000 miles. After extensive research on MY part, I found MB knew anout the issue and sent no service bulletine to the field nor was a recall deployed to get these bad engines back. My car has been in the shop for 68 days now and I still have no date at to getting it back. My suggestion to a possible buyer of a C230, is to go buy a Japaneese car!!!!! I wish I had....

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  Bad transmission for 2006 4matic - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By eastsidejl - June 9 - 1:12 am

  My 06 is currently under MB Manufactures warrantee and I have been fighting with MB to replace my faulty transmission. At 28 mph, it skips. MB tells me there is nothing wrong and this is normal performance!!!! I am filing complaints with every agency. I paid an extra $2k for my extended warrantee when I bought my certified used MB and MB will not fix this!!!! I would NEVER buy this car!!!!!

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  38MPG highway - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Carl B. - June 8 - 9:53 pm

  Ive owned some very nice vehicles (Porsche, BMW, etc) but this is without a doubt the finest sedan I have ever owned or even ridden in. Smooth, quiet, comfortable with excellent handling and almost shocking acceleration. Unlike most cars (especially hybrids), the EPA rating is accurate. Took it on a long trip recently and got 38MPG with the cruise set at 75. I see no reason at all to even consider an E350. Ultra low sulphur diesel is still a bit hard to find but getting better every week. Whats in the tanks at most gas stations is usually ULSD but most stations havent been certified yet. Luckily, I only have to look for fuel about once or twice a month.

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  Wonderful Ride - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By David - June 8 - 2:40 pm

  Before Mercedes ever built their first first M-Class I have been sending an annual E-Mail to Damiler-Benzs New Jersery headquarters about having a diesel M-Class. It took several years to finally get my ML 320 CDI. The new M-Class is wonderful. A extremely smooth ride as compared to my old 2003 ML500 that I have had since September 2002. The interior is well thought out with some of the easiest folding rear seats which make a flat cargo area with out any gaps. My wife loves the power tailgate, especiallly in a heavy rain. Currently Im getting about 18MPG in city driving and around 27MPG on the freeway into town from the suburbs. Havent had it on the open road yet.

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  The jury is still out. - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mrigal87 - June 8 - 9:41 am

  I leased the 2012 ML 350 about 2 wks ago. This is my first MB. So far, its been in the shop twice at 2 different dealerships. After several days of driving, I noticed the vehicle would start to shake when I reached 65mph. Also, the windshield wipers chatter horribly and are very loud. So I took it in. They worked on it for an entire day. The same problems persisted. I took it back in a week later to another dealership. The shaking seems to be much better, however, the wipers are chattering worse than ever as I discovered today during a rainstorm. Yes, the vehicle is beautifully appointed and looks great etc. but it is very irritating to be in and out of the shop with a brand new vehicle.

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  My Mercedes C230 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dnice - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Thanks to Mercedes for a car that performs, looks great, and feels solid. I have no regrets in my selection. It rides smoothly on the road and goes around curves with ease. Even on wet roads, its performance is uncompromised. I did opt for the "wheel package option" which is probably a good part of the reason the ride is simply wonderful.