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:

• 

  Best value of any exotic - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By henry42 - December 25 - 10:00 am

  Nothing but fun to drive and own, and best of all,looks like free to own also with resale values still bringing premiums.

• 

  sl550 saved my life - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By megaautoparts - December 24 - 10:53 pm

  I bought my 2007 sl550 with 3800 miles on nov 5 2009 on nov 6 2009 I was hit head on by an accelerating Jeep Cherokee that turned into my lane across a double yellow line, car was totaled but I walked away with some disc and whiplash injuries. There is no doubt this car saved my life, I traded a 2004 Corvette and a 2005 slk350 to get this sl550. If I was in any other car I would have been killed. There is no doubt this car saved my life, I am buying another one and will never buy any other car. Thank you Mercedes for your build quality and crash worthiness.

• 

  Greatest of autos - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By pete - December 22 - 11:03 am

  Great vechile. Had front shock and strut replaced. Faced some sticker shock but for ride, control, safety, that part being air and adjustable, it was reasonable. Room, comfort, driving enjoyment 2nd to none. 40 yrs of driving experience in the mountains of NC and all, and I mean all, types of other vechile experience, this is the best of experiences.

• 

  Extremly Impressed - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Howard Rosenberg - December 21 - 3:33 am

  This is my first SUV after 40 years of driving. As soon as I started the test drive I knew this ML350 Benz was for me.The vehicle rides very smooth, absorbs all bumps and hugs the road, especially on highway curves. It handles extremly well due to its easy steering and great turning radius. A quick response to acceleration when needed, and an awesome braking system help add to a fun and excellent driving experience.

• 

  The Best - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By carol - December 21 - 1:26 am

  Having owned Mercedes in the past, I just love this vehicle and its looks, performance, and having the 4 matic gives me more peace of mind for safety when driving in the tortential rains in Florida. This is a must have vehicle and price was well worth it.

• 

  Solid, Smooth, Quiet! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By c300zoom - December 20 - 3:40 am

  I love this car! I have a C300 sport in Palladium silver with Grey/Black MB-tex interior. The only options I got are 7-speed automatic and iPod integration, which Im very happy with. This car is the most solid and secure car Ive ever driven and the overall build quality is fantastic. The steering is lighter than expected, but it makes it very easy to drive. Very strong brakes, plenty of power, a nice exhaust note coming out the back, a firm yet comfortable ride, and excellent, well controlled cornering. Its very quiet as well. Also, the aggressive styling makes heads turn! I test drove a 328i, but the C300 is a much better value,smoother,and the styling is worlds ahead of the 3.

• 

  550 Cabriolet review - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jb from san diego - December 19 - 1:40 pm

  This car is beautifully styled and lots of pep. The older models had a blind spot on the rear passenger side. There is great visibility with this model.

• 

  A Drivers Car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By BlueMonk - December 19 - 10:00 am

  No, I am not a racer. But I have become addicted to the CLKs instant acceleration. My only problem with it is that with a kid coming I have outgrown its size. Went and test drove the new FX45 from Infinti the other day. It does not even come close to the handling and acceleration. I guess I will be going with an E.

• 

  Great car with some quirks - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By GLM - December 19 - 10:00 am

  After 3 months the rear sunshade and AC display had to be replaced. Nothing major in my opinion. The car is has a high head turning quotient and handles flawlessly and predictably. The V6 engines rumble has more than enough pick up to justify $9K less than the V8.

• 

  Excellent! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By barueri - December 19 - 10:00 am

  Had the car for about 3 weeks, excellent handling and power. So much torque at any speed, especially fun in highway cruising speeds.