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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  C240 4 Matic - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By hobbie1 - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Dealer was excellent, easy to deal with. Salesman David was great. Car is fun to drive, very quiet. having trouble getting away from my wife and daughter. No issues at delivery.

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  4Matic in Alaska - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Engineerat DOT - August 29 - 2:00 am

  Excellent cold weather auto. Great reliability and handling in the worst conditions. However, the cupholders in the front are useless. Too close together and awkwardly placed...surprising for a Benz.

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  KEEP REACHING TILL YOU GET THIS FAR. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By BOBBY RISHTY - August 29 - 2:00 am

  I AM A CAR NUT. I ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. I STARTED DRIVING CELICAS,SUPRAS.JEEPS,CORVETTES,PORSCHE S,AND THEN A CONVERTIBLE CLK430,.I STILL WASNT SATISFIED. NOW I HAVE THE 2003 SL500. I AM VERY HAPPY. IT HAS LUXURY AND SPORTS CAR ALL IN ONE,.EVEN BETTER NOW WITH THE RETRACTABLE MOON ROOF. DONT BUY THIS CAR WITHOUT IT.THE ONLY THING THIS CAR IS LACKING FOR ME,.IS THE THRUST OF POWER I HAD WITH THE CORVETTE,.BUT IT IS A HEAVIER CAR AND WILL LAST LONGER.

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  C-Class - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By alc - August 28 - 7:46 pm

  Very smooth ride for a smallish car. Quick acceleration and excellent handling. I love the styling

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  Back into a Mercedes again - 2009 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Bru - August 26 - 10:00 am

  Our last Mercedes was a 1996 C280 which we drove for 13 years, which was replaced by an Acura TSX. After seeing this beauty at the M-B dealer next door to Acura, three days later we traded in our 06 BMW 330ci convertible. After 6 months, we are very happy with the car overall, although in times where so much economic news is bad, you definitely feel the expense of owning a Mercedes. So far, three trips to the repair garage for minor glitches. First service appt. is $238 vs. $59 paid for our first Acura service. This car gets a ton of attention and compliments.

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  Owner - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Dee and J - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Drives with confidence anywhere.. stylish and tough... with guts.

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  small but loaded - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By c.chan - August 26 - 2:00 am

  The car is small on size but even the base model equipment is first rated. Quality is perfect. Unless you are way over 6 feet tall, I dont see a reason to but a bigger Mercedes.

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  Not Worth My Money! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Christine - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I am a former owner of a Toy Solara 00. Then I did something stupid and trade it in for the C230 because when I 1st test driven it I thought wow what a cool car.I waited 3 mons for my order and finally got the car in Dec of 01, I ended up paying $35k for it. BUT I HAD NOTHING But PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR!! continue....part 2

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  continue from previous Part 2 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ChristineL - August 26 - 2:00 am

  Right before X-mas which was 3 wks right after I got the car, my sunroof stopped working and later found out that I got a deffect one, and it took the Dealer two wks to fix it. Anyways, the front tires kept going flat on me for like the past two months, so I thought maybe Ive ran over a nail or some sort so I kept filling it up with air everytime it goes flat and today I took it to a prof. tire shop and they found out that the rim a hole in it! Can you beleive Mercedes sold me a freakin Lemon??

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  E350 Key to The Cure special edition - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Geo Rod - August 25 - 11:25 pm

  So far had the car for a month. Im very happy and satisfied with it so far... this special edition came with lots of extras! got it with 115K and it runs great. Well kept inside and out. Purchased the extended 24 month warranty just in case. The Karman Harmond stereo is amazing. I dont have to do much driving on a daily basis but find myself wishing I did just to enjoy more time behind the wheel. it has been a year now and I still feel the same about my car. It is amazing! I love it! no issues, runs great.