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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  Better Then All The Rest - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jordanbibbs98 - September 7 - 11:51 pm

  The best car Ive been in. Amazing built quality, soft touch materials, nice stitching and wood grain. Easy to read gauges and command sysytem. The ambient lighting and sound system is flawless. Great on gas. Probably the best car to get wit all wheel drive. Quiet on the highways. Alittle bumpy on pot holes. But thats expected from a heavy sedan with beefy sport rims and low profile tires. Honestly this car beats every car in its catorgory. Very safe and comfortable. Mine is a 2010 E350 4-Matic with 55,000 miles. Have had No issues or complaints. Just one, the tire pressure monitoring system (tpms) is alittle fussy during the cold season due to the differences in tempature.

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  Excellent Vehicle! - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By pacquio78 - September 6 - 8:58 pm

  Hey Guys! Its Gavin Back With The Updates On My 99 ML430, We Got Her Up To 306,000 Miles! Still Running Strong, Except For A Faulty Fan Clutch, But We Decided No To Put Anymore Money Into It Since Were Starting To Look At The New 550s. But The ML430 Was Definitely The Best Car Ive Ever Purchased, And It Will Stay On That Position On My List! Im Gonna Miss Her When Shes Gone, But Shes One Strong Girl!

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  Best Car I have owned - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By iowagirl - September 6 - 8:23 am

  This SUV is great. I have gone 10,000 miles and the fuel mileage is about 23 MPG. It is a diesel and I have had no problems finding fuel. I would recommend this versatile vehicle to anyone who is shopping for a new high end SUV.

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  Total Package - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By B - September 6 - 3:03 am

  This car is one for the ages -- in the proper exterior color and interior package it will turn heads. The power this car possesses almost got me locked up already for running against a Corvette in the city. Handling at high speeds is rather impressive, and the brakes are very responsive (almost too responsive at times. The nav system is very easy to operate and the heated and dynamic seats are luxuries that once you have them, they are now a must on any car you will ever purchase in the future. Rides extremely smooth and comfortable and after a few spins in it; youll definitely feel why you spent what you did on it. This car is for mature adults only!!

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  Very happy with BlueTec - 2010 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By 2010 ML350 BlueTec - September 4 - 6:40 pm

  I looked at all the diesel SUVs available on the market and this is by far the best in my opinion. Its pricey but very well done in all respects. I love the BlueTec diesel engine. On a recent road trip I got 30 mpg and here in town I get 20 mpg. Thats much better than the Lexus RX330 I traded. Very luxurious and comfortable interior with great seats. The Luxury 2 package has many features my wife and I love. I only have 4000 miles on it so cant speak to reliability; however so far I havent found one thing wrong.

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  2006 C230 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By acidic36 - September 3 - 6:23 am

  This is a well built & designed car. its very fast and drives great. I picked it over the 3-series and g35 coupe

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  Mercedes 320 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Fineman - August 30 - 10:00 am

  Well designed and confortable to drive. Good handling with smooth highway ride. Excellent climate control system. Reasonably gutsy engine.

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  Super Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Faith - August 28 - 7:33 pm

  This car is very unique. It is small and compact but it has all the luxury of a large sedan or limo. The car is so cool. Even the key is cool. It has buttons and it doesnt use metal in the ignition. You use a little box at the front of the key

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  C350 Worth A Look - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By DavidB - August 27 - 1:10 pm

  The C350 shows sporty yet classic MB styling, is well crafted, has excellent power and torque, and is incredibly fun to drive. The navigation and upgraded sound systems are well worth buying, especially for gadget & toy fanatics. Voice command control is a fantastic addition to this car. Handling, acceleration are well-balanced with a smooth, quiet ride. The sport tires are slightly louder than touring tires, but its well worth the price of driving a sport-tuned suspension. Overall, the car compares very favorably with BMW 335i, but likely cost close to $5,000 less than comparably equipped models.

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  Great Car!!! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Greg - August 27 - 12:23 am

  Black exterior with stone interior - no better combination. I have had this car for two months and am still very satisfied. I have owned several MBs, BMWs and Japanese cars before and this one is the best in terms of quality, prestige and fun factor. There really is no comparison. It is also fast ! I would do it all over again.