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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  my opinion - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By sm - April 14 - 10:00 am

  This is the second ML Ive owned and both have been totally reliable and fun to drive. Dont discount this SUV based upon some of the petty complaints passed around on the web, go drive one and see for yourself.

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  Fast and Fun SUV - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Geopap - April 14 - 10:00 am

  Very capable on and off road SUV. Very powerfull near 300hp motor. Very happy with this vehicle.

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  Nothing but problems - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By tiaguessa - April 14 - 6:37 am

  Since we purchased our c-class its been a horrible experience. Engine had tapping noise since day one, dealership said that knocking / tapping noise is normal. It leaks like crazy, you can smell oil buring in the car. We have replaced the rear main seal ($1300.00), valve cover gaskets ($650.00) and now the transfer case has to be replaced, $3000.00. Still smells and leaks. We came from Acura to MB because I have owned several older MBs and loved them but we wanted a new one. The dealership is the worst, Chevrolet dealership disguised as a MB dealership. The car is total junk, never own another one. Going to back to Acura.

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  S420 - The only car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Payton - April 13 - 8:30 pm

  First true luxury car. Fun to drive. The acceleration is outstanding for a car of the size and weight. Great car for traveling. Noise level is very minimum compared to other vehicles. There is plenty of leg room for a 62" 245 lb guy. Service record has been excellent. The only major item to fail was covered by a warranty plan. I would purchase another if I had the chance. This one will be in my stable for a long time.

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  Perfect (so far) S550 4matic - 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Michael Broadston - April 13 - 3:30 am

  I have had the car for 3 months, 2500 miles and have absolutely no problems or issues. I went from a 2008 S550 to this 2015 S550 and the new one is a league of its own. Two days after purchase I went on a 300 mile trip on I10 here in Arizona. This gave me time to try and use all the options and gave me a very good comfort level with them. Some of my answers are based on my 2008 but again this car seems bullet proof.

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  CLK55 AMG - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By mikeb - April 10 - 10:13 pm

  Fun to drive, very smooth and quiet with the top down. Good power and sharp looker.

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  What a disappointment! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By MO%12 - April 10 - 10:00 am

  My CLK is <6 months old and has been in the shop more than every car I have ever owned over 20 years combined and I havent even had an oil change yet! The glove box wouldnt close before I even drove my new car off the lot requiring multiple days to fix with a complete dashboard overhaul. Then the driver door had a rattle that required a "bolt to be tightened". A month later the rattle occurred on the passenger side. Then the seat belt arm extension stopped working - all requiring days of service. I gave my thoughts to JD Power & Associates and asked if others had these types of problems - the answer an emphatic yes!

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  Not worth the money! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dean Shari - April 10 - 10:00 am

  Its $22000.00 car and not $34,000.00!! Very disapointed for what you get for the money, thinking about trading it for BMW.

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  My Benz - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ToddS - April 10 - 10:00 am

  Great to drive has been a lot of fun. A great entry level car.

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  Great car, poor reliability - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bubu - April 9 - 9:20 am

  This is a great car - when it runs. The engine is very strong but the electrical system is very unreliable. You will get to know the MB service dept. well. Moreover, this is a fancy car and many mechanics are not trained to fix its problems. Find a good mechanic and get the extended warranty!