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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  Love it - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rob - April 28 - 11:56 am

  This is my fourth Mercedes Benz car and by far the one I like most. I bought it for my wife as she wanted to downsize out of a Land Rover which was the biggest piece of junk I have ever owned (bought out of a lease 15 months ahead). The Mercedes has plenty of room for my three children and the best safety rating for a family sedan. We live in he north east so we opted for the 4- Matic AWD system. The overall look and feel of the car are fantastic. Plenty of power and a terrific ride quality and handling make it a pleasure to drive. The gas mileage is actually quite good for a large car with 270HP but and it is an enormous upgrade over the 9 MPG city we got in the truck.

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  Another jewl from Stuttgart - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BMW Slayer - April 28 - 10:00 am

  Hands down the best car Ive ever owned. Solid build quality and breath taking performance. The acceleration and tight handling allow you to jump in and out of traffic with ease. The cabin is comfortable and functional, though it could do with some more usable storage up front. The only unscheduled maintenance has bee a recurring problem with the lighting system causing it to burn out bulbs about every six months. Fortunatly the vehicle has auxillary lamps that function in place of the main ones when they fail, so the car remians safe to drive until it can be serviced.

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  1999 E320 Wagon - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By j tobis - April 25 - 7:00 pm

  This wagon got better as the miles were put on. (41,000) Very smooth and noiseless, has more power than needed, and a dream to drive. Cupholders could have been more convenient. Sound system is superb. My wife is not crazy about rear facing seats in 3rd row. I will drive it until it drops.

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  fun time - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dubop - April 25 - 2:00 am

  The 230 has been a fun car, good power to overpass others or, to win merging wars at on ramps. radio (non bose) is fair, installing after-market radio can be a bear! tinting of windows should be done by a REAL pro if not, you will make a trip back to the dealer to replace both the am/fm powered ant and the alarm ant.! "b" piller is poor hard to see others on both sides! back seat is good for small kids front seats are not great if your a larger person. sunroof is big and fun.

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  Warning( Lemon) save your money. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By adrian cox - April 25 - 2:00 am

  Warning this is a bad car(lemon).I dont have enough room to list all the engine problems. My car would stallout when I would try to pass someone.It stalled out when I was accelerating from a complete stop.It stallout in the middle of a intersection. It repeatedly shutoff after I would refuel it.It had to be towed to the dealership(Rahal) after I couldnt (with the help of others)get it to start after refueling.In the first six months of ownership it had 16 problems .So I got a lawer.Just put it this way if you wont to know everything email me.

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  Bought A Lemon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Bought A Lemon - April 25 - 2:00 am

  Bought (2002) car June 22nd-crappy right from start. Returned for bad air flow sensor-first week. Car died in in parking lot had it towed in-second week. Dealer kept car 34days. Called lawyer-third week. Car has been parked for 4 months. If you buy a c240 you will need a good lawyer.

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  LOVIN MY CL 500 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Lisa Saez - April 25 - 1:03 am

  Just purchased my CL 500 on my birthday 3 Oct 06 and has already fallen in love with this beauty! It is sooo sharp and sporty even though it has a sedan sort of style to it. Turns heads like carzy. Very sofisticated in its looks but modernally casual for just that every day ride. I love how it huges the road while giving that sporty. The power for this car has is awsome! . Owning now the S500 and G500 this car, the CL 500, adds alot more exciement to the driving experience. Will be owning this one and all the rest for life!

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  Great Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Irvin Chuck - April 24 - 8:23 am

  EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  A real Upgrade...xlnt - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By A real Upgrade..xlnt - April 23 - 11:36 pm

  I have had a new e-class Benz every year since 2006. 2007 E350 sport flint grey...fast/economical. 2008 E350 AMG sport indium grey...pkg1, pano-roof, chrome AMGs a real looker quick, better handling w/again 27mpg@85mph. 2010 E550 sport, pkg 2, pano-roof, parktronic, dynamic seat w/message...xlnt and those 550 only air cooled seats and don,t forget that adjustable air-ride. This car is far and away a better car overall. On a recent trip up the calif cst this V8 got 25.2 mpg@80-82mph. This V8 has strong power with a small penalty in mileage. I did also test drive 10 E350 nice but the airmatic ride/handling and V8 thrust won me over. E350s look the same but the drive completely different.

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  ML320 Good but not Reliable - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By R Cummings - April 23 - 12:53 pm

  Great car mechanically but electrically unreliable like all Mercedes models since 2000. Poor reliability related to electrical/sensor problems (Robert Bosch?). By 75000 miles repaired: door locks sensors, crankshaft position sensor(engine stops unexpectedly), mass airflow sensor, front window switches (twice),brake pressure sensor, brake switch, rear seat locked down