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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  4th Benz, 3rd C Class - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Milw WI - June 21 - 3:06 pm

  Ill admit I enjoy new cars, this being the 4th benz and 3rd C Class Ive owned. Ive actually been away from MB for 7 years with a BMW 3 series and 5 series recently. Just prior to my 2008 C350 Sport, I leased a terrific Japanese product, an Infiniti M45 Sport. But Lexus, Infiniti and Acura dont compare in styling. This new C class is impressive. Its turning out to be more a pleasure to drive each time I get in. People stare, its beautiful. Off all the cars Ive owned, I think its the most stylish. Performance is predictable, acceleration is perfect and stopping is awesome. This MB has captivated me like my first 1986 300E. I am thrilled to be back as a client.

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  solid value - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Scott Rachelle - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Extremely comfortable SUV. Its not a big load hauler or a tow vehicle, but load up the family and a bunch of suitcases and drive this ANYWHERE! Ive had a Chevy S10 Blazer, and the M- class handles snow and slick roads MUCH better.

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  C32 AMG - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By peebs - June 21 - 2:00 am

  A beast. More horses than a standard Corvette. A neck jerker that roars like a lion and runs like a cheetah. Hate have to replace those tires every 15K, but oh well.

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  Enjoy the drive and ride - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By gyhs - June 21 - 2:00 am

  The 6-speed manual is a really fun car to drive, great handling. A reasonably powerful car with good fuel economy and environmentally friendly with ultra low emission status. Legroom in the rear is suprisingly ample, but headroom is tight. Fortunately, the double sunroof eases up the claustrophobia.

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  I love this car. - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By solomonmorris1 - June 20 - 10:41 pm

  I was hesitant at first about changing over from BMW after 16 years and giving up my inline 6 300hp twin turbo for a 4cylinder turbo because i thought it would be slow. Well I am very impressed with what I bought and it is black with grey/black interior with all the bells and whistles and I must say I will never go back to BMW.I am hooked on Mercedes Benz.The car exceeds all my expectations that I could have ever imagined and I totally agree with the last reviewer this car is amazing and the only thing I wanted on the car I did not get and that was the Zenon lighting package because there were only a few to go around to each dealer and I do not regret not having it now because I am loving it

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  Awesome Ride - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mikespike - June 19 - 2:43 am

  By far the most comprehensive car I have ever owned. Love the engineering in the car. Large enough to fit my family of four and luggage as well with top down. Very impressed with the interior style and electronics are state of the art.

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  Glad I witched. - 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By robin prager - June 17 - 7:29 am

  This is a much different C300 than previous years. Total luxury!

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  Nearly perfect convertible - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By live1x - June 16 - 12:15 pm

  MB has produced an exceptional car with the near perfect ingredients of sport, luxury, comfort, convenience, and versatility. I have admittedly drank the cool aide on top down motoring. This is my sixth convertible (1964 Corvair Monza Spyder, 1966 Corvair Corsa, 1978 Fiat 124 Spider, 2001 SLK350, 2006 SC430). My assessment is based on those and other driving experiences (Ive driven many other great convertibles: Mustangs, Corvettes, Porsches, BMWs, Audis). I have less than 10k miles on the car and yet I find myself inordinately happier with each passing mile (a first for someone who is considered a total car [violative content deleted], buying more than 30 new car over the last 25 years, yes my wife is encouraging me to get therapy).

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  Best Hatchback Ive Ever Owned! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RiceCakeLover - June 16 - 10:00 am

  This is my 3rd hatchback and I love it! My first two were a Mazda RX-7 and a Honda Civic, both of which presented consistent problems in the first 6 months and beyond. This Mercedes has been flawless in my first 7 months! The leather/moonroof/bose sound package and the sports package are bargains and well worth it. After test driving both the manual and automatic types, I chose the automatic because the power is more than Ill ever need. Im actually getting 30 mpg on the highway! The smooth ride is a dream! The interior accommodates large & tall people well. Its also the only Mercedes small enough to fit into my tiny Victorian garage!

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  Going Strong - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Joey Martin - June 13 - 9:03 pm

  Just turned 140K miles. Only oil changes, tires and brakes. No problems, amazing..