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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  Solid Sport Sedan - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By lat41 - February 11 - 12:56 am

  Much improved in every way over my 04 C-240AWD. Beautifully and solidly put together like any M-B should. Smooth power but no hot rod, Though not striking, stylish and functional interior. Sport model has nice balance between ride/comfort and sporty handling. The C-Class is not dazzling in any one area but the sum of the parts equals one fine, substantial all around car.

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  A Classic, Superb in every way - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Jimbo - February 10 - 9:00 am

  One need not wonder about the importance of this car to Mercedes and to the rest of the automobile world. Porsche is building a competitor as is Aston-Martin. All new Mercedes sedan pay homage to the style of this car. It is simply the best looking sedan on the road, inside and out. That is why Top Gear, an British automotive magazine recently picked it the best luxury car of 2006... better than Rolls, Maybach, and even the S Class. With the seven speed transmission, it not only is fast (5.5 sec. to 60; 155 top speed) but gets decent gas mileage (20-25 mpg) for a 4,000 lb. luxury sedan.

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  A really advanced car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Seattle Slew - February 9 - 9:00 am

  Looked at all the Japanese cars like Acura RL and Infiniti M35. The E350, at first, seemed much less featured. This turns out not to be true. the car may lack voice activated features but it has everything else. Love the cruise control which actually brakes the car when you slow the car down. Would highly recommend the car.

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  Not an SUV guy and I LOVE it! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Ernie - February 9 - 8:23 am

  This was to be my wifes car, as I have my BMW 650 - yes, quite a contrast in style to my demise. Great driving car, roomy, responsive and OK - I can open up the Sun roof to get that convertible feel, as I do on my 650.

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  Sorry; Lincoln and Caddy - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kkakear - February 8 - 6:50 pm

  I wanted to replace my Jaguar X-type with a Lincoln MKZ or Caddy CTS. The CTS was cramped and the MKZ , the spiritual successor to the X-type, is a major letdown, showing its economy car roots. On a whim, I stopped into Mercedes dealer and drove the C300. The Quartz blue color is stunning: it makes the car. The seats and driving position are most comfortable, the ride just super smooth, the steering sharp and defined,and the technology unbelievable. Mercedes puts money into the structure, not the bells and whistles. It is the most relaxed drive ever, and the insurance is actually less than the Jaguar. I wanted to buy American, but the Mercedes is sooo good.

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  Balanced perspective - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By mcantwell - February 7 - 8:27 pm

  I bought a used 2002 S430 in November of 2012. It was $11,000. I immediately had an issue with the air suspension which leaked and I had Peter, a local mechanic (SilverStar Motors) who specialized in Mercedes fix it. He is much more reasonable than the dealership but the repair was $1400. He warned me the car has a history of expensive issues. I replaced the tires with ContiPro fro $600. I did not have any additional issues until recently it was side-swiped on the street and the driver mirror was tore off. The parts alone are over $1000 and Im looking at 1300-$1,500 with labor and paint. To pile on my check engine light came on and the car has a bit of a shake and rough idle. We will see.

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  ITS Da Bomb - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By A new Owner - February 7 - 12:23 pm

  This is one of the best, or the best car i have ever owned. Its comfy, you cant even feel a bump, the ride is soo good. Its totally unbelivable....you have to get ur hands on one of em.

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  Best Benz - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By crewe - February 7 - 10:00 am

  This is the best I have ever owned. It is quiet and vibration-free and just a pleasure to drive.I prefer it over the BMW 745Li which I tried and the 740iL which I owned for 6 years.

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  2003 C32 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By KeithS - February 7 - 10:00 am

  Great car. No problems

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  My First Mercedes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By tlrust1 - February 7 - 10:00 am

  And most likely, my last. In the past eight months the car has been in the shop eight times for nearly 20 days. I broke my longstanding rule of never buying the first year of a new model and Im really paying for it now. Build quality is horrible. In addition, my dealers service center is the most disorganized and poorly run I have ever encountered. I miss my Lexus.