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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  Awesome car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dkitter - November 14 - 5:16 pm

  I bought this about two months ago, runs like new, looks like new. No funny noises, handles beautifully

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  Pretty Good - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Corey Foreside - November 13 - 7:53 am

  My dad got this car as a loan while his CLK was in the shop and I felt the need to write a review for it. First, this car is very fun to drive and has great handling and performance. The rear seats are another story. The way the back doors are shaped makes you trip almost every time you get out of the back. They contour around the wheel inserts. Making for a very uncomfortable entry/exit. Just look at a side view of the car and youll see how the back doors are shaped. It has a very well made interior and exterior. The navigation system is pretty confusing, though. Its a pretty good car overall.

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  my first benz - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Paul - November 12 - 4:16 pm

  I bought this car with some mileage but still under warranty. So far I have enjoyed it quite a lot. I previously drove Mazda RX8, which was like a gokart, but grew out of it and bought a used MB. I get around 23MPG mixed with 60-70% highway, which is an improvement over my RX8. The car is great, although handling is not as sharp as I am used to, much more on a luxury side, but still chassis is tuned nicely and wants to deliver. I wish ESP could be completely turned off, but I did manage to spin it. Acceleration is more than enough and transmission works very smoothly. Sound system is phenomenal. Love the car and cant get enough driving it. It should have a bluetooth. BT cradle is available.

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  stress free driving - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Abbi - November 11 - 10:00 am

  its truly a unique experience. Handling on tight corners, and plowing through the rain leaving 4-wheel trucks behind is awesome. Sports package really makes it appealing but for the 4matic front and rear tires are not staggered - the only complaint I have is memory seats require holding the button until completion, BMW-7 one touch and I wish my car had better gas mileage

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  Almost Perfect - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By beatlemaniacs - November 11 - 12:30 am

  Leased this car after leasing an 05 E500 4matic. Like this car almost as much as predecessor. The 350 is missing a few features of the E500. Opted not to get the E550, but why does the E350 not come with the passenger rear view mirror tilt when in reverse, and also the trunk lock button? Also, they stripped the digital hvac function down to the old dials. Finally, the iPod system is disappointing. Why in the year 2008 it doesnt route through the COMAND like the satellite radio, navigation and regular radio is beyond me. Its way too clunky right now. Hopefully, they will address this in future models just to catch up with Ford and Nissan electronics.

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  I would drive this into the afterlife if I could - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By R. Ishkanian - November 10 - 12:13 pm

  Go for the mechanical beauty of the naturally balanced Inline 6 with the iron block. At 18:1 compression it will outlast subsequent aluminum versions. Use Power Source Diesel Kleen once in a while and keep the injectors clean and lubricated. I have had my 2006 CDI for 145,000 miles and would not part with it EVER. I have driven 1,300 miles in one sitting (several times) and felt great afterwards. MPG is best with the right tires. I had Michelins and could easily get 40 mpg. Switched to other brands and it was a little harder to get that level of MPG. The car is VERY solid and well built. Get clear impact film for the driving lights to protect them from rocks. The rear seat is a little awkward to get out of. The cloth door jambs have worn a bit on the drivers side. Great stability. I upgraded the headlight bulbs to Phillips brightest and it was a great improvement. Suggestion for MBZ, let us adjust the high and low beams individually not as one set. Honestly I would put this against any other car for comfort, performance, efficiency and longevity.

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  Purrfect!!! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jim gaillard - November 7 - 10:00 am

  best all around car i have ever owned . reminds me of a vette with class, even though it is a wagon i really like this . it is perfect.

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  My new Benz! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By maconley - November 7 - 10:00 am

  I was drawn to this car based on its 2003 redesign.

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  Extravagant and Exuberant! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Corp. Executive - November 7 - 10:00 am

  What an unbelievable car! When you drive this one-of-a-kind car you will feel that you are in a different world. The cars elegance and extravagance separates it from other cars. The S- Classs 493 HP makes it a rocket with 4 wheels. The interior is well designed. The COMAND sytem sometimes exacerbates the cars uniqueness. I have driven this magnificient car in the NJ highway at speeds in excess of 135 mph. At bad weather this would be the safest means of transportation. So many people have admired this car, for its uniqueness and true world class elegance. I TRULY LOVE THIS CAR.

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  C32 ROCKS!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dfollman - November 7 - 10:00 am

  plenty of horsepower and speed. The fuel economy is much better than it has been said(I tried it with my odometer) much better than my old cadillac deville which was ALWAYS in the shop and before that my camery in which I got rear end on a residential street sending me straight to the hospital and remember this was on a residential road where the speed limit was 20mph!!