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:

• 

  I love this car. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Adam - July 30 - 5:16 pm

  I was literally one of the first to buy a 2003 C230 coupe and Ive loved it ever since. I have to be completely honest here and tell you that its had its fair share of electrical problems. The only problem was the engine was revving at idle just slightly, but this was fixed by replacing the engine controller (paid by warranty) and now it runs smooth as ever. This was the first MB to have the M271 engine and I was expecting some bugs. Other than that Ive had the check engine light come on at least a half dozen times, but Ive got that taken care of now. Ive had no mechanical problems of any kind, no squeaks, rattles or anything like that, just minor electrical problems. Love the car!

• 

  One Nice Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By speeddemon - July 30 - 10:26 am

  I drive more than I used to in my 1999 E series, or my 1987 RX7 (a great handling car). I seek out the windy roads.

• 

  2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E350 Avant-Garde Sport - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mercedeslover1 - July 30 - 7:08 am

  The Mercedes- Benz E-Class is an amazing vehicle, that I have truly enjoyed owning. The design is so timeless and elegant and never looks pretentious, but only classy. The interior and exterior are made of materials that are built to last, and everything feels high quality and feels as if it could withstand a nuclear attack. However, there are some problems with this model, specifically with the transmission valve body, which does tend to fail but the replacement should resolve any issues. This car is expensive to fix, and owners should have a few thousand sat aside for potential problems, however problems generally are few to none.

• 

  Best M-Class Ever! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Scott Harris - July 30 - 1:43 am

  When I first drove the new M-Class I was shocked. I had never driven a vehicle, ANY vehicle, that after a test drive, I decided right then and there to buy it. The build quality is second to none. Power eveywhere you need it, at any RPM. I only wish I had waited for the AMG version with over 475 horsepower. The AMG version will be stronger and better built than the Porsche SUV, and cost less. Outstanding quality!

• 

  Expensive to maintain - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By RAH - July 28 - 8:23 pm

  I have owned this car for 6 months and have spent over $1,500 for repairs. It had 66,000 miles on it when I purchased it from a dealer and was in great shape cosmetically. For a car that cost over $100K when new and with only 70K miles on it I am very dissapointed with the quality and durability and cost to own. It is a powerful fun car to drive and I like the body style and the interior room but I am thinking strongly about trading it for a Lexus.

• 

  0-60 in: Whoa!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Sports Car Heaven - July 28 - 12:53 pm

  Although this is one of the heaviest sports cars that I have ever driven, this car will go 0-60 in (I have tested) 4.0 seconds. This is .5 seconds less that the advertisement. This car is really very fun to drive as well. I recommend that you buy it.

• 

  Regretful - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By summer0829 - July 28 - 10:00 am

  I have only had it for 5 months and it has already received a new transmission and radiator. I have another appointment because the same problem is happening again. I have little confidence in iy now.

• 

  Decent Car for the $$$ - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Duspin - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Leased it in 11/2000 and purchased at lease-end. Few problems; but ALL cars have problems, ALL of them! I have the sport package with xenons, phone, CD changer and it is an awesome ride especially in light of the hands-free laws in certain states. Would I buy another? Yes! But not where I got this one.

• 

  Not worth it, Just buy a Honda. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AWS - July 28 - 10:00 am

  The electrical system in this car is sad. It has been in for service 8 times in 2 years. This includes 4 fan motors for AC, new control panel for AC,computer control panel x2, the dashboard display and 2 alternators. The door handle fell off and the glove box broke probably from the numerous times the dashboard was removed. Having driven a minivan (96000 miles), and 2 GM conversions vans-the last for 8 years and 95,000 miles I thought I would upgrade to a quality vehicle. Sadly, I was disappointed. I was planning on giving this car to my teenage daughter because of the safety features and her deep love for the handling, but it is simply too unreliable.

• 

  Great car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By John Gangemi - July 28 - 10:00 am

  Excellent auto. Fun to drive