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:

• 

  C300 Luxury - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By FL LADY - September 17 - 12:26 am

  Picked it up at the factory in Germany and drove it around Europe on the autobahn and back count ry roads. Fun to drive and very responsive on the short on and off-ramps of Europe. Did not get many add-ons (P 1 package only), but it is great. I love my car! Found that the folding mirrors were a godsend in medieval towns where a few streets were unbelievably narrow. The bellhops in every town loved the arctic white--most cars of that model in Europe were black, grey or silver--and I really like the Savannah/cashmere interior. Get the all weather mats though. Could see that the carpet would get dirty rather quickly without them. Especially love the steering.

• 

  German Engineering - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By h keilo - September 16 - 12:45 pm

  Excellent Car, luxury with lots of power and reliability.

• 

  German Engineering - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By h keilo - September 16 - 12:45 pm

  Excellent Car, luxury with lots of power and reliability.

• 

  E430 Sport - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mike Fruin - September 13 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this vehicle as a pre-owned replacement for my 1999 E430...much more car than the Audi A6 or BMW 5 series, both of which were considerations at the time. The 8 cylinder engine, sport suspension, and auto-stick transmission is awesome. A few too many electronics possibly, but a dream to drive none the less.

• 

  Mercedes C230 Great Car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MR. MOORE - September 12 - 12:23 pm

  I tried the Infiniti G35, Lexus ES 330, BMW 330i and the Jaguar X series. The Mercedes has a comfortable ride as if you are on a cloud. The build quality? Of course, Mercedes quality all the way! The car is very exciting and very fast. I have put over 10,000 miles on the car . No transmission problems like Lexus and no warranty issues like Infiniti. The car has a Mercedes-Benz S series feel and look to it. My friend bought the Lexus brand and now has traded it in for a Honda. I am thankful to God I chose the Mercedes over all the other vehicles

• 

  Perfect car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Pierre - September 12 - 5:50 am

  As a previous BMW 5 series owner, I doubted that another car would compare favorably to that. The E350 4-matic is a dream to drive. The extra horsepower makes all the difference. All electronics work great. The car is beautiful inside and out. Quality all around.

• 

  High end MB with low end econobox milage - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John - September 11 - 8:56 am

  Great build quality, interior layout and handling. Quiet engine, as well as wind noise at high speed due to high tech diesel and .27 drag coef. Handling is best Ive seen in a 4000lb sedan with road tests give it a .84 skid pad rating.. With 17" 245/45 wheels/tires it almost handles like a sports car. I am getting over 40 mpg consistently at speed over 70mph in freeway milage.. amazing.

• 

  Great car! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Jack S. - September 10 - 2:00 am

  This is one of the best all around vehicles built today. It has room for 4 adults, but looks like a sleek sports coupe. Better looking than the Honda Accord look alike 03 CLK.

• 

  C320 Review - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By cwlgal - September 10 - 2:00 am

  Weve had the vehicle for 3 months and driven it 6,500 miles. Its proven totally reliable, no rattles, and provided an average of 25 MPG. Im surprised how much we were able to get in the trunk. Everyone who sees it or rides in it loves the car. I traded an ML 320 on this car and have absolutely no regrets.

• 

  We love our well-kept secret - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By MSS - September 9 - 1:56 am

  I practically stumbled across this car when I decided to check out the MB lot just for the heck of it one day. We had been looking closely at the GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave, but I was blown away by the interior size, comfort and luxury touches of this vehicle. Our R class includes fantastic features such as the backup camera, panorama roof (awesome), 6 CD changer, Sirius radio for 6 months, and the 7 seat option. The car rides very well and the torque makes up for what the HP lacks. Although I should say with three kids, I want exactly looking for massive power -- more for interior space and three rows of seats, which the R class has in spades.