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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  Much better - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By jwo - May 16 - 5:53 pm

  It is about time that this beautiful sedan has the performance to match its racy looks. For the past year I had been wanting a CLS but found it performance to weak for a sedan of this class. However, when I heard that for 07 MB was putting a larger engine with 80 more hp in, it sealed my decision. This car is perfect and get so many looks while crusing down the road. The interior is beautifully appointed. I am very pleased.

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  Excellent car still going strong! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By guile - May 16 - 9:43 am

  I bought my C240 after I totaled my 3- series BMW so the MB was not the same sporty performance ride, but its no slush box either. Interior is very comfortable with supportive seats in nice leather, typical of Mercedes at all levels. Power is produced via a 2.6 L V6, delivering 168 hp (not so bad back in 03, but hardly stellar) in a linear fashion. Its very smooth and the car doesnt feel like its on at idle (have to double check every now and then). Cons are the loud air conditioning. Only one problem with the cat converter and that was fixed under warranty. Just change the oil regularly (every 10k mi) and you should have no issues. My car was made in Brazil according to door jamb.

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  Stay away! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By earbon - May 15 - 3:20 pm

  As a starter the value of that car is dropping like a rock in a lake with no bottom. The real trade in value is between $25000.00 and $31000.00 at best. I was lucky to buy it with a POC on it otherwise I would have left my wallet at the dealer. Lots of squeaking and annoying noise coming from the chassis. Lots of problem with the electronic, seat wont recline and suddenly they do, the lighting. The air ride suspension is nice but unreliable and can collapse at any time. They had to replace the whole rear end at 48000 miles. Please stay away from Mercedes benz and leave MB where they deserve to be, in bankruptcy.

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  Super Auto - 1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By REA - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Bought used, to replace 1995 S420. All around better auto. Great on long trips, bit tedious in local driving. Flexible service a real plus, only functional problem is opening/closing windows/sunroof with fob. Excellent acceleration and passing power. Definitely one of the finest autos I have ever owned. Dealer service has been splendid.

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  The best automobile I have ever owned. - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Dick Dyer - May 14 - 2:00 am

  This is the most exerhilarting automobile I have ever driven.It gives me a rush just to press the accelarater and feel the power. It also gets a lot of attenion wherever I go.

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  2003 - Sport Pkg going strong - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MBOwner - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Great car & a joy to drive short or long distance. Could use more HP, but then fuel milage would also suffer. Better milage, lower HP. I think 8s is a good number for this cars power. Perhaps quality has suffered a bit since the merge, but overall well engineered.

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  C280 Sport - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By CSport - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Sporty version of CClass was highly rated by car mags at the time I bought this car. I really wanted C-36 for the horsepower but couldnt afford it, so I settled for the Sport version. Ive never had a more comfortable long trip vehicle, never feeling tired or sore from 8 hours in the seat. I bought the car for the high engineering quality and was impressed with the tightness of the entire body structure. No creaks, rattles or squeaks. Sport package gave a lot of options for very little money and was worthwhile.

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  GREAT TRUCK! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ROB - May 13 - 10:00 am

  THE ML320 IS ONE OF THE EST VEHICLES I HAVE EVER OWNED! IT SO ROOMY AND COMFORTABLE, I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE LOOKING FORA NEW TRUCK/SUV.

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  GREAT CAR - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MERCEDES - May 13 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE THE CAR, VERY NICE BODY AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS.

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  NICE CAR - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By LILY - May 13 - 10:00 am

  COMFORTABLE CAR AND I LOVE IT.