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 not of the quality it used to be - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By scholla - March 17 - 9:32 am

  For the last 35 years I always had at least one Benz in the garage. Currently have a 2007 550s and a 2012 350ML. Bought both new/first owner. 550 s -19,000 miles - Air Condition not working. 350ML - 6,000 Miles - electronics defect: give wrong error messages and no error messages. Now, the ML is at the shop because the engine may have to be replaced. Local dealer in Palm Beach says MBUSA asked them to perform "more tests to identify the problem". (Car is in the shop already 3 days.) Two issues here: (1) MB now sells cars that do not work properly, even after short use. (2) How MBUSA deals with the problem: They make little/no effort to make things right. This is no longer a good make.

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  We really enjoy this car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tom from Nashville - March 15 - 12:06 pm

  Have always wanted to own a new Mercedes, now we do. Previous car was a 01 E-320 & though we thoroughly enjoyed owning it, the 05 model is vastly improved. Thought about waiting for the new E-350, but felt very comfortable with the deal I got on this one.

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  This is Awesome!!!!! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Jonzer - March 15 - 2:00 am

  I really love the way it handles, and the power it has.

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  owner - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By emilio - March 15 - 2:00 am

  from the time i purchased this vehicle i experienced steering wheel vibration which was coming from the vehicle tires. on 8 different occasions the dealer has not been able to resolve this vibration problem. the tires are wearing abnormally on the sides and at 5k miles the dealer replaced the whole set of tires. till this day i am still encountering this same problem of constant vibrations and abnormal tire wear.

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  s500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Runandswim1 - March 15 - 2:00 am

  The S500 has a lot but as compared to other luxury vehicles I have been in recently, the s500 seems to be primative. The front seat I find to be very uncomfortable and hard. When I have to go on long drives I choose a differnt vehicle. However, when arriving at a function the s500 still turns heads.

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  love my new e class - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Michael - March 15 - 12:09 am

  only have the car a couple of weeks, less than a thousand miles. this is primarily my wifes car and I have not heard ONE complaint since she started driving it, quite the opposite. so that alone makes it a great buy. we had the homelink problem but the dealer fixed it in about an hour. i pretty much like everything about this car except it could probably use the v6. its actually got me thinking about trading in my range rover sport for an mb estate. takes a bit of time to get the interfaces down, but once you start getting it its not that bad.

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  A True Benz - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AtlantaJim - March 14 - 5:46 am

  After driving the 3-series and IS 250, the Benz just offered more of a "best of all worlds" package. The BMW is a better performer and the Lexus has a touch more luxury, but the Benz has the soul of a sports car with the comfort of a luxury machine. The list of standard features is impressive, and Ive never seen a car turn heads like this one.

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  It doesnt get any better than this! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MAD DOG - March 13 - 10:00 am

  The E300 Turbodiesel is a great car. Have loved it since the first day we drove it home. The diesel gets between 30-35 mpg and there is no problem with power. Wonderful ride, am looking forward to many wonderful years of great service.

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  A Great Car! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mlx52 - March 13 - 10:00 am

  The Mercedes M-Class has gone above and beyond all of my expectations... I live in Chicago, and I consider myself to be a horrible winter driver, however, with the purchase of this car I feel comfortable and in control of the situations that the road deals me. The interior has been vastly upgraded since the 98-model year and is now in line with the rest of Mercedes Line. The interior is flawless everything is in reach of the driver and everything is intuitively laid out. The car has been a pleasure to drive and have recommended it to all of my friends. I simply can not say enough of how much I love this car!

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  Excellent Vehicle - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By The best one - March 13 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle handles well and enjoy the hell out of it. Yes not to good gas mileage, but fun to drive.