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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  By and large, a great car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ACSiliconValley - September 9 - 10:00 am

  This is a great car and a lot of fun to drive. Excellent handling, very solid feel, wide doors, surprisingly spacious. Also very good the controls built into the steering wheels. The only real down side so far is that the sunroof is very squeaky; I hope the dealer can fix it at the first service.

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  Could be great - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By danicro - September 9 - 10:00 am

  Sold 2001 BMW 525IA for 03 320E RWD. Very good ride, excellent gas milage 9 (averaged over 29 MPG on a recent 500 round trip at close to 70 MPG). Really! Only problem I have had and it is hard to understand is the computer system that controls the stereo system. My vehicle was at the dealership for more than 3 weeks waiting for a new "gateway". Not good! Problem appears to have been corrected but this cars electronics are sluggish. Love the styling and the ride. Stereo sound is fine and interior is very good.

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  Nice Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Buck - September 8 - 9:06 pm

  Just returned from a 2,000 trip, Im a bit disappointed with the fuel mileage. Even when using every trick to coax better mileage from the car, the best I saw on the highway was 34 mpg, it was usually less than that. The fit and finish of the vehicle are excellent. Im not a big fan of the HVAC controls, the dials adjust the temp in 2 degree increments, sometimes its hard to get just the right temp. Ive seen reviews that indicate its too easy to confuse the turn signal with the cruise control stalk, and even after 3 months with the car, I still occasionally mix them up. The car is an excellent long-range cruiser, very comfortable.

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  Owning a 99 ML320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By irishpigdog - September 6 - 2:30 am

  I love the sensitivity of the gas pedal and the ease of the steering wheel, but the gas mileage is pretty sad. Handful of electrical panel problems, but nothing major. No engine problems so far from owning it for six years. Good vehicle.

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  The S63 is the best combination of comfort and speed in one machine - 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By riosouza - September 4 - 9:25 pm

  The S63 is the best combination of comfort and speed in one machine, period. It has so much power on "S" mode that if it wasnt for the traction control it would be hard to keep it straight. Its like being on a Cadillac with the feeling of a high end sports car when you hit the gas pedal. I drive my S63 daily, and the comfort makes me slow down and enjoy the ride. Then when I got an idiot tailgating me, I just hit the gas for few seconds and he disappears on my rear view mirror. If you go for a test drive, you will buy it...

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  ML500 I love this car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By fbon - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I got my ML500 2 months ago (silver w/ Java interior) and the car is a blast. Best of all the punch of the 288hsp V8 will put a big grin on your face. Coming from a BMW 328, I can honestly say this SUV is truly a sporty utilitarian. Interior is splendid as far as confort. Some design improvement possible. Overall Mercedes Benz did a big effort in 2002 to correct/update most of the shortcomings of earlier versions just as soccer moms were rushing to the the X5s and Accura SUVs. This vehicle is hot!! again believe me. I already saw several black ML500 with Inspiration Edition and their big chrome grill in lots of cool places in NYC. No reliability issue to report so far.

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  I love this car. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By walkwalkwalk - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I took over a lease on this car from the original leasee who drove the car for a year. I love this car. It is fun to drive, handles like an expensive Mercedes and has a user friendly price tag. The extras are staggering and I am still discovering features in this outstanding German made automobile.

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  Too many problems - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Hotelier - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I have experience all the problems everyone else has plus a hundred more. First was the A/C which fail twice, then I had a problem with the steering, they never where able to align it right and the car steers to the right more than it should (for safety). Then I had a problem with the switch that raises the vehicle, it always gets stuck, then my headrest stopped working, then my cd changer failed it does not work at all (I see this one is a classic),then my speakers are having a short circuit, then when I steer the wheel is making a horrible noise like a tire is loose, I also have the rattling on the engine, etc, etc, etc, etc

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  E 320 4 matic Wagon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By LKG - September 4 - 10:00 am

  This is my wifes vehicle, she loves the car. This was a replacement for a Suburban. She loves the size and the handling etc. I perosnally prefer the BMW for ride and sport car handling. This thing can haul a ton of cargo and still handles pretty well. Would be great to see this unit made with the extras of the E 500. I would persoanlly consider the Pacifica when looking at this unit.

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  I love my mercedes benz - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Kerry - September 4 - 10:00 am

  My first car was a 1998 Mercedes SL450. I didnt like it too much so i decided to get something smaller. My AMG is the greatest car ive ever owned. The milage is a +. I would definetly recommend this vehicle to anybody.