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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  solid decision - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By chuck in sc - June 27 - 2:00 am

  a sporty sedan with some power. compared hard with 3 series/ A6. i have owned the car for 4 months now, and i can honestly say that it was a great decision....no regrets. power and transmission are awesome. style is incredible and sleek...gets lots of looks. my first mercedes. it outdoes the 3 series i used to own, primarily with handling characteristics and very responsive throttle/transmission. this car is fun to drive and is an excellent value for the price...considering the luxury associated with the name, the european performance, and beautiful craftsmanship. very solid buy.

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  Great Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By tom - June 26 - 3:36 am

  We previosly owned 4 MLs, but it was time for a change. The car is fun to drive. The car has plenty of pick up. The interior space is very generous and the ride is great

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  EXCELLENT CAR - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SDUKE - June 25 - 10:00 am

  I TRAVEL SIX STATES IN MY JOB. I HAVE OWNED BMW, VOLVO, AURORAS THIS CAR IS BY FAR THE BEST OVERALL BEST VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED

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  ML320 Report - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By cwlghl - June 25 - 10:00 am

  We have 7,000 trouble free miles with our ML320. With the red exterior we get numerous positive comments concerning its looks. The 320 engine is quick off the line, but lacks punch above 40 MPH. Fuel economy has been acceptable, nothing to write home about. Its holding its value, which is one of the reasons we selected a Mercedes. Id buy another one, but Id opt for the V-8 version.

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  WHAT A FANTASTIC AUTOMOBILE! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By groovology - June 25 - 10:00 am

  This is my 1st German car- what a difference. It is SO solid! And quiet, and powerful! I chose the MBZ over the Passat GLX wagon & BMW 325 wagon. The choice came down to quality and quietness. The BMW was cramped and really noisy (by design, I know), and the VW seemed "plasticky" although it too seemed nice. The MBZ has more feature than either of them, and I think the long term value will hold up far better than either of them. I definitely believe it is worth the extra money (hint: buy it over the internet to save $$!) Im sure Ill be happy with it as long as it lives up to MBZ reputation for reliability.

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  Just drove 2000 miles - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jeff - June 22 - 6:20 pm

  with this car, meaning it now has about 5,000 on the odometer. I got 30 MPG with a mean speed of 62 MPH, which I was surprised, and pleased with. I cruise around 75 so the in-between stuff brought down the speed. The phone blue tooth is very clear. The transmission quite smooth. Its a heck of a nice car for the money. I do admit to being concerned about maintenance costs. Time will tell. Overall very pleased with the vehicle thus far.

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  Pretty good overall - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MefromWA - June 22 - 2:33 pm

  I bought my C240 in Sept. 2002. I have had problems with the right side mirror not coming back up after I put the car in drive from reverse. Took it in many times to have the problem fixed, all under warranty. I have had BAS-ESP error messages appear, and had a grinding noises in the brakes on a couple of occasions when coming to a soft stop, where the ESP light came on. (There was no way the car lost traction) The wiring on the back blinker light needed to be fixed recently, which was costly for the repair. On a recent trip to CA last summer, the air conditioning decided to stop working. The AC would die, then start back up after about a minute.

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  New CLS 500 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Cliff McGahee - June 20 - 5:46 am

  Have only had the car less than a week, but it is beautiful, silky smoothe, and couldnt be more satisfied. Silver, with dark red interior and most of the add-ons - no keyless go. Not one thing wrong with it - no adjustments needed.

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  One of the Family - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By swd4647 - June 20 - 2:00 am

  Our first near-luxury vehicle. Still gets looks after eight years. Great on the highway. Could not have made a better choice. Recommend highly.

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  ENJOYING IT IN ANY TYPE OF WEATHER - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By MOVINGTIME - June 20 - 2:00 am

  REPAIRABLE ELECTRICAL ISSUES