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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  Perfection - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Gus Kunath - January 24 - 10:00 am

  This is my second ML 320 (1999 and 2001) Maybe I am lucky with cars but these two were the best I ever had. I will be buying a 2003 this fall.

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  Nice - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Benzy - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Great car...definately mercedes quality

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  Nice family car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jwgowdy - January 24 - 7:16 am

  I bought this car to replace our wrecked 97 E420 (saved our lives!) for my wife. Its been a great family car - both comfortable and reliable, and the safety factor is unmatched.

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  Mercedes Misses the Mark - Very Poor Technology - 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By silvercab - January 23 - 12:55 am

  I recently purchased new 2012, Blue Tooth system does not work. I get error messages covering the Nav Screen every day. MB Customer service told me I need to choose a compatible phone from the MB approved list (apparently something the dealer should have mentioned in advance). Initially, MB were very accommodating and said they would reimburse my out of pocket expense to get a "MB compatible" phone. I now have their phone and I still get the same error messages. MB customer service says, "there is nothing more we can do for you" and "many 2012 customers are experiencing the same problems." In addition, ParkTronic does not function properly and power seat broke twice.

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  Saw it, Bought it Love it - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By ruth - January 22 - 8:36 pm

  This car handles well in the city. I love the interior as well as the exterior. It certainly is not a family car , but I didnt purchase it for a family. I bought it for me. And I love it. The only down side is gas mileage. I dont sit in the , so I cant complain about the leg room. I havent had any service related problems at all. The add oil light came on once. I added the oil and kept driving. Im totally sold on this car.

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  I love my E500 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rob D. - January 22 - 5:50 pm

  I love this car. I have owned Hummer H2s Lexus LS400 and SC430s, Cadillac DeVilles, MB c240s etc. The E500 is by far the best I have owned. Its fast as hell ( my best 1/4 mile time is 13.9 at 102mph with a few chips) smooth riding, great pickup sexy looks and extreme attitude. You cant mess with this car it messes with you!

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  The un-minivan - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Matthew - January 22 - 2:16 am

  Coming up on 13k on our R350. My wife and I love it, as do our two kids. We aspire to own only one car at a time, and this is the perfect choice -- great for hauling around the kids and their friends, but dignified enough for adult occasions. Plus it is remarkably fun to drive for such a massive vehicle. Weve had it for more than a year now, and I still enjoy getting behind the wheel and going on long drives. Handling and acceleration are very good (considering the length and weight of the vehicle), brakes are excellent, and the ride is smooth. Its a mystery to me why MB hasnt made more of an effort to market this car. Yes, its expensive, but for families like ours, its perfect.

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  Love this car... - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By texasseal - January 21 - 10:00 am

  Love the car, hate the repairs. When they hit theyre expensive--Im looking at $2,272 repair for AC (in Texas a must have) and a steering gear replacement --the part alone is $1,597 labor only $191. Ouch. The car is a fun and tight drive never been stranded anywhere driving long commutes daily.

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  Need More - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By WYOACX - January 21 - 10:00 am

  I purchased it about 6 months ago and I am loving every moment of it. My Helga is fun to drive and it absouletly is an eye candy. Much better looking then a BMW 3 series. I like the way she rides on highway I did drove it 330 miles non stop and it was a wonderful experience.

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  Timeless Classic... - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Dom1 - January 18 - 10:00 am

  My Mercedes is a 1992 500SL with the 326bhp 32v DOHC V8! This is the most powerful "Non induction" V8 Mercedes has ever made.....and that includes the new model! My Car is faultless, it has nearly every extra available at that time fitted on the car and every single button, light, switch, leaver works perfectly! The build quality of these earlier cars were at their best. As often said over engineered! The car has covered 92,000 miles and drives like new. Unlike the later cars there is no scuttle shake and no creaks from the amazingly well made interior. To finish off, the vehicle has big fat 18 inch AMG wheels. It looks the biz...