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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  all style, no substance - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By sandra miller - March 13 - 3:33 am

  I liked the styling and the Mercedes-Benz brand. I owned an E320 and thoroughly enjoyed it but my 2000 M-Class has been nothing but trouble. Ive spent $5,000 in 12 months on repairs, brakes, rotors, leaking seals, pumps, etc. Curently, it wont run without stalling and the dealerhip cant seem to find out what is wrong. Theve had it for four days!

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  Dont let the bad reviews throw you... - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Hondo - March 13 - 2:00 am

  People who purchase in this range tend to be pickey. Ive had mine for three years now, and while the 99s did have niggling little problems, all in all this is an extremely fine vehicle. It has spirited accelleration, corners with grace at higher than expected speeds, has a cavernous hauling area in the back, and an excpetional ride. And it IS a Mercedes. Im very pleased with mine, and would highly recommend you give it a close look. Mercedes has loaded a tremendous amount of GOOD ENGINEERING into this vehicle. Read their brochure, and this will all become very clear. Well done MB.

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  Love it - but not perfect - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By WilliamV - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Overall I love this car. Performance is very good, handling great, interior suprising roomy for the size. More than that, it makes you want to drive it - often and hard. Eats up highway miles, great fun to toss around. The ride is a little stiff. Steering is stiff. Controls are stiff. Not bad, but an adjustment if youre coming from a more pampering car. One serious complaint - more rattles and squeeks from the roof area that I would expect from a Mercedes.

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  My first Benz - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By swest18102 - March 12 - 4:00 am

  This is my first Benz and it sure wont be my last. I just returned from a trip out west and was very impressed at my fuel mileage of 35mpg running 80mph hwy. It was a joy to drive 10hrs straight in.

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  Initial New Review - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mark - March 12 - 2:00 am

  Beautiful car; handles well. I have the "radar" package (Distronic) and it is worth every penny. Quality build. I would hope to write a review in a year to see if I am still as satisfied as I am now.

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  Diesel R-class well worth it. - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Andrew - March 11 - 2:30 pm

  Six large adults - not a minivan or an SUV? Its the R-class. Ive never had a more comfortable car.

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  Great car but often broken - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Lin - March 11 - 11:10 am

  We ordered this car new and love it. However we feel compelled to get rid of it before the warranty is over. To summarize the ills: the car has spent more than 6 weeks in the shop over 3 years. Fist the battery was changed 3 times due to faulty computer module. This model had to be changed 3 times. The engine oil pan leaked at 30,000 miles and they had to pull the trans to fix that. A wheel bearing failed. Brake rotors had to be change and now the engine is in "limp" mode and we dont know why. Routine maintenance is very expensive ($1,200 at 40,000 miles).

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  2002 CLK 320 Long Term Review - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By CBP - March 10 - 5:56 pm

  I have owned my CLK 320 coupe for 3 years. The car is now at 39,000 miles. The car started out well when first purchased but is now falling apart. The engine valve rocker arms have been replaced 4 times and are still loud when the car is cold. The front seat track has been replaced as well as both rear seat latches as well as the outside temperature sensor and all of the instrument guages. The tires wore out at 14,000 miles and the ignition wires had to be replaced at 33,000 miles. The undercarriage is now making a loud rattling sound like marbles in a bucket.

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  Excellent Car! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Todd - March 9 - 6:56 pm

  This is the first Mercedes I have been purchased. After having it almost a year, I have to say that the car is fantastic! I have had no problems at all as the odometer approaches 37,000 miles. Its a great car for anyone who wants a Benz but doesnt want to go broke paying for it.

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  Great SUV....so far - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Arthur - March 8 - 12:16 pm

  This is my first SUV and my second MB, my wife drives an 02 SLK. I leased my ML 320 CDI in Feb. 07 and so far I have been very impressed with the quality and workmanship of this SUV. The ML320 drives and handles well for a AW drive SUV. The performance is impressive,the diesel is super quite and the MPG is good for a vehicle this size, I have been averaging 21-22 combined and 24-25 highway. I have 7000 miles on my ML and so far no problems. The only down side is the price, MB needs to start offering more options as standard equipment, ie: Bluetooth, formed mats, power and heated seats, moon roof...etc and a lower price so more people can afford it. I would highly recommend this SUV.