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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  Incredible handling - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Andy - July 3 - 11:50 am

  Wonderful ride, stability control works very well. Very sophisticated interior. The engine has a lot of torque and accelaraton is good for a family SUV. The 4matic system is very good. What else you can ask for an SUV? Although the price of the diesel is very high the mileage per gallon is good enough to make the change from gas to diesel. I hope we can see more turbo diesel engines in the future.

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  G-WAG - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By CHRISTOPHER - July 3 - 10:00 am

  THIS SUV IS ONE OF THE MOST COMFTERABLE SUVS THAT I HAVE EVER OWNEED IN MY LIFE AND THE ONE WITH THE MOST FUN TO DRIVE FACTOR

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  Buy one if you can find one. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By C230K-6spd - July 3 - 10:00 am

  If you enjoy driving a pure sports car but dont want to sacrifice passenger space, this car is perfect for you. The 6spd manual tranny provides peak power at any speed. It corners like a dream. The supercharger sounds sweet. Sometimes I put the window down just so I can hear it getting on the highway. Desite its small appearance, it fits two 6 tall adults comfortably in the backseat. After two years, $0 repair/maintenance cost. Its all covered by Daimler/Chrysler!

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  Ms. Greenes Benz Review - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Shawna Greene - July 3 - 10:00 am

  The inside is a little tight with four adults. and Teleaid option would have been a plus.

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  Great car at a relatively great price - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Kimi Raikkonen - July 3 - 10:00 am

  C230 sport sedan is a great deal. If you dont mind giving up a little bit of refinement (V6 vs I4), this is the one to get and save about $3000 over a BMW 325i. The car has been flawless so far, and I like the car more and moreas I drive it. You wont be dissapointed.

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  unidentify noise - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By wjp1 - July 3 - 6:11 am

  I bought a 02 E 430 SPt SEDAN NEW. I have no problem in over 10 years. Only minor repairs. The vehicle performance magnificent,strong unbelievable aggressive acceleration and amazing handling , with the MECHANICALLY RELIABLE POWERFULL 4.3L V 8 engine AS APPRX. 160,000 MILES I want to keep this car for a while longer. I AM EXPERIENCING ONE RECENT PROBLEM, I JUST PUT A NEW A/C SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE, BUT AROUND APPROX. 1000-1200 RPM I GET A DRAGGING PANORAMIC SOUND THAT GO AWAY OVER 1200 RPM. WHEN THE A/C SYSTEM IS ON ONLY. WE REPLACED THE UNIT BUT THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. THE LOCAL M-BENZ DEALERSHIP NEVER EXPERIENCE NOTHING LIKE THIS. I still have the noise and need help.

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  The Reign of Diesels - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Oilburner - July 2 - 1:16 pm

  There is some turbo lag until 2000rpms. Transmission shifts sluggishly when using comfort mode. Sport mode is a notable improvement. Past 2000rpm, the R Diesel launches into a breath depriving shove! It will surprise nearby motorists. 398ft-lbs does make a difference. Try test driving the V8 gas version, see for yourself. Suspension and handling is typical MBenz firm but no a racer. Transmission shifter takes a while to get used to. Tried it on cold icy highway conditions. Computer stability and traction programs do work in a very subtle way.

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  DC - 2002 C240 Review - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JJDC2005 - July 2 - 12:43 am

  Great car to drive/own. Just bought new E500. Nothing like a Benz, nothing. At 5.5 years old, still feels tighter, newer than our 1 year old Maxima.

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  Bad car for very high price - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hollyaben - July 1 - 8:30 pm

  Car had problems all after warantty period. Horn stopped $140. Outside mirror Broke $450. Left rear window fell down for no reason $300. Head gasket blew.(very common on these cars) $1950. Complained to dealer and Mercedes and got nothing. Will never buy another.

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  A Real Dog - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By chazzjr - July 1 - 10:00 am

  Always thought I would have it made when I could afford to buy a MB. Well after 25 months and 9 repair trips not including 5 service trips, I traded the dog on a GMC. If this vehicle would have run well I would have kept it but it did not. Small things like senors, computer software and large things like new rack and pinion steering and power steering pump were just too much. Beware of your warrantys end. Repairs are very expensive and time consuming. In discussing the issues with the MB reps in USA and Germany, I found that they were more concerned about themselves than the problems I was having.