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:

• 

  Love It! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Serena - June 20 - 2:00 am

  After having a SL and wanting the sporty, convertible feeling of class i got the 320 and was soooooooooo much happier even though rear seats are so small its a plus for room.

• 

  life is good - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By AV 90 - June 20 - 2:00 am

  its been a wonderful ride

• 

  New one now.... - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SP - June 20 - 2:00 am

  Excellent if you like to step on the gas & go, go, go... Great new interior styling and also new sporty exterior features! I am very please with my 2nd or is it 3rd..?

• 

  E-500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Dr Tom - June 20 - 2:00 am

  My E-500 has been in the shop 5 weeks out of the last 52 weeks for radio, telephone problems and to replace windshield and rear glass due to scratches at delivery. The shop then scratched the paint and it had to be repaired. I think theyve finally solved the radio/telephone problems just last week. Otherwise, the performance of the engine and comfort ride are great.

• 

  Nice car with lots of bells and whistles - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Frank Catalano - June 19 - 1:28 pm

  Lots of technology but the interface falls flat... most of the functions of the car require you to look away from the road in order to activate them or shut them off. I also own a BMW and their technology is (most of the time) centered around the driver and are much easier to use.

• 

  STUPID CAR - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By exhasted buyer - June 19 - 10:00 am

  I hate this car. It is so stupid. I regret not getting the BMW 745Li or the Lexus LS430 Ultra lux. I have had nothing but problems since I brought it home. Either the controls dont work or the car wont start. Some times the car feels like locking the door when it feels like it. It has a mind of its own. Even the GPS turns off by itself. COnsidering I paid over $81,000 for this car, I am extremely disapointed. GOOD buy Mercedes, next time, I am heading for Lexus!

• 

  Nothing but problems - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Cent45 - June 19 - 10:00 am

  Its been in twice for engine work. The sunshade has broken twice as well first the front and then the back. The shift casing is constantly coming off. They had to replace my radio once because it kept fading in and out. Its too bad because I love it when its working, but now Im trying to get rid of it. Also any dealer that has voicemail in their service dept. should be flogged.

• 

  Nu-Blu - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By djefferson - June 18 - 6:30 am

  I recently have purchased this nu ML-Bluetech after having 3 E-class benzs 2-350s 1-550 models 2007,2008 and 2010. My plan was to keep my 2010 E-550 for another year or so but during the past few months I had been looking at Suvs:Ford Edge,Jeep Grand Cherokee,BMW X5 Diesel and VW Toureag TDI/Audi Q7 TDI. Having shopped these others 1st, I took a chance a drove the 2012 Bluetech and I was presently surprised. The upgraded new interior and added torque really raised the bar against the others I was considering. Edge my ford touch?..Jeep Great Drive not efficient, X5 Sporty but too pricey w/options desired near 70k and VW Group Great overall but MB has a long/proven diesel history undisputed.

• 

  Dissapointed - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jim Emry - June 17 - 9:46 am

  This $50K car has spent too much time at the dealership for minor repairs. I feel high tech has gone too far with this vehicle. For example, rain sensor windshield wipers, automatic seat adjustment, these two things have never worked and dealer has not been able to fix. Oil level too high, this keeps appearing as a malfunction on computer screen. Gas cap has to be frequently repaired. Winshield wipers make awful scraping noise even when wet, dealer also unable to fix. Very dissapointing auto

• 

  Upgrade to 5.0 litre - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Dan - June 16 - 10:30 pm

  Drove both versions before deciding on the 5.0 liter. The 3.5 was sluggish, and lacked responsiveness when it was called upon for sudden acceleration. Not as prominent in larger engine. Some body roll on corners, but not too bad. Steering isnt that responsive. Comfortable ride, reliable car. Shifting is smooth unless car is called upon to accelerate (as noted above). Gear shifter is unique (one day, someone will put this car into reverse by accident thinking that theyre putting it into park). A pleasure to ride in, better than a standard SUV. Quiet ride. Controls all in good spots. Good in snow.