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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  My New SUV - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By LoriLuLu - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Had it 2 weeks. It rides too much like a truck but otherwise Im very happy with it. My last Mercedes was a sedan and the ride was much smoother but hated being the little guy not Im big and tall like all the other SUVs.

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  ML350 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mmthskr - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Purchased as "Cross over vehicle" to reduce cars in the family. Use MBZ now both as in town car and as an SUV for snow covered mountain transportation. First trip in the snow car performed very well. No slipping, easy handling. Plenty of room for cargo and a large dog. Easy to handle and park in the city as well.

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  Glitches - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MizzGayla - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This is a fabuluos reliable car. Its glitches are that it goes through lights quite often and the heating thermostat is never very good. You never know when your heater will freeze you or roast you. When its really cold, the heater is weak. Von Housen becomes less interested in your car care as the car ages.

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  S500 review - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Ugisan - August 8 - 2:00 am

  With the exception of the items mentioned below the overall quality and ownership experience of this vehicle has been excellent.

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  Good looking, horrendous quality - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By KenS - August 8 - 2:00 am

  Quick, responsive, fun to drive fast or slow. Lots of wow factor for passengers (voice command, navigation). Integrated phone is very handy. Great dealership and service, too bad I am there all the time. What have I had replaced in the past year? Keys (5 times), floor mats, purge valve, a/c controls, voice command (3 times), rear seat belts, drive train shudders, pneumatic seat pump, phone, shifter trim, washer/turn signal stalk (3 times), washer pump (4 times), cd changer, driver seat frame, seat memory, mildew, outside mirror malfunction.

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  How could mercedes benz let this happen. - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jack Dooley - August 8 - 2:00 am

  The only good thing about this car is the comfort factor. Everything else seems to be below average. I now know I would have been better off with a BMW, Lexus, or Acura. This will be the last MB for me. The build quality has dropped to much in recent years.

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  Buyer Beware - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By chngr - August 8 - 2:00 am

  My 2004 E55 has been the worst car experience I have ever encoutered. On the day I took delivery, the Command system malfunctioned and stopped working. In addition, the rim was scratched and the homelink system was inoperative. It has been in the service department for a total of 2 weeks since I took delivery a month ago. MB USA has been totally unsympathetic and uncaring for a car that cost me $100k. I have left several customer concerns that were never followed up. My recommedation is to avoid this car and Mercedes Benz.

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  great - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By doughboy269 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  great car but tooo small

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  The Best of European Luxury - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Cleighman - August 7 - 10:06 am

  My 13th Mercedes and the best. Amazingly smooth ride coupled with the SIRIUS satellite radio/stereo make driving a pleasurable experience.

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  Great deal - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By professordavid - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Slick, comfortable, and responsive vehicle able to grip road, drive elegantly while responsiveness of a sportier vehicle. Never have had a major repair -- only minor glitches detected by computer, or fragility of a cup holder..