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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  First Diesel - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bart47 - November 19 - 10:00 am

  What a great car! My second used Mercedes, first diesel. Amazed the first time I drove it by the pickup and smoothness of the engine. The torque is so much better than gas engines. This is evident by the ability of the car to maintain cruise speed on the steepest hill without downshifting. My wife was skeptical about buying a used car with 101,000 miles, but now she loves it.

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  Dissapointed - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Hate it - November 19 - 10:00 am

  I had the car since 6/2000. I had the brakes changed twice (every 10000 miles) and had electronis problem. Overall it was a dissapointment and my experience with the dealership was more dissapointing. I will never own or think of owning another MB again. My HYUNDAI and Hummer are kept in the garage. I love the Hyundai and the people at the dealership (I had it for three years and I love it, I dont care what people say its already paid off and it paid for itself 120,000 miles and still going strong)

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  2000 E320 SW - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By pianoman - November 18 - 10:33 pm

  I just love this car, had few problems some even very expensive- air condtion went down 1100$!, window regulators broke 2 times 300$ each, engine mounts 600$ but I do not see a problem in it, I bought it used and expected things to go bad at some point. It is like a beautiful women expensive to maintain but fun to ride ;). I feel sick when my wife makes me drive her Volvo s70. Ten volvos s70 are not worth one used out tire of my E320 Mercedes. My next car ?!? - MERCEDES!!!!!!!

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  Love the Technology - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By colby - November 17 - 2:10 pm

  So far great! Love the high tech performance of a world class engine, that is way ahead of its time. This type engine technology is currently being copied by US automakers. This is a real race car engine. British F3 series open wheel cars, which equates too 160mph. They are destroying the other cars that run Hondas. Adaptive performance in a hatchback, is a car that is a phnomenal value in my book.

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  complete satisfaction - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By rg white - November 17 - 9:16 am

  this is third ML we have purchased two for me one for wife easy acess for srs rear seats easy to raise and lower controls different than earlier models a bit more complicated quality construction throughout recommend rear tv option for stiff neck srs like myself MB service is always superb

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  My Batmobile - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bummer - November 16 - 10:50 am

  It is a well engineered vehicle. The 2002 E320 has all of the improvements since 1996 without the glitches from 2003 and newer models. The brakes and throttle are soft and the suspension are made for a comfort ride. The body frame is solid and has no significant vibration until 100 mph. No major problems with my E320 so far. Unless you consider adding windshield fluid is a major problem.

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  Electrical Nightmare - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mary - November 15 - 9:46 pm

  The car has been fine except for the electrical system, which has had problems off and on for my entire ownership of it. The latest issue is the electrical failing after a car wash (no lights, turn indicator, etc.). Scary. And the dealership can never figure out what is wrong. (Also the navigation system is quite poor and antiquated.) I would honestly never ever buy another Mercedes Benz.

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  Not All That and a Bag of Chips - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Car Nutz - November 15 - 5:33 am

  Ive had this vehicle since April, 2006. The radio light went out and the seat memory and motors malfunctioned. I had the extended warranty but the dealer still charged me to fix the seat memory module. Dealer stated that the module did not need replacement and therefore was not covered. Irritating. The transmission is strange. Often times, in low gear, the transmission shifts abruptly as if the car was rear ended or bucks like a bronco. Also, the speed sensing radio is not at all accurate. On the positive side, the car is solid and vault-like. I feel safe in this car even though it is not as agile as my BMW. Torque is plentiful and gas mileage is admirable for a luxury car.

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  A Pair of Winners - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By derleute - November 14 - 10:00 am

  Ive had 2 ML320s, a leased 1999 and a purchased 2002. In 4 combined years of ownership I/ve had absolutely no problems nor any need for warranty work with either one. They keep getting better by including more standard features every year. The emergency notification system and navigation systems are terrific and Bose sound spectacular. My only minor gripe ist the 6 CD changer belongs in the dash, not in the cargo walls. Thumbs up for American craftsmanship.

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  vibration - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By herb - November 14 - 10:00 am

  my 2002 c230 coupe is comfortable,[to sit in] fast and cool. quiet it is not. but the one thing i find unacceptable is the vibration that i feel from 35-40 mph to 60-65 mh. i feel the vibration in the seat, pedals, gear shift, steering wheel. mercedes has told me that it is normal, but ive heard no one else complaining about it. so am i the only one?