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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  Best Car Ever - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By terry - July 28 - 10:23 pm

  Ive had 3 other MBs, a BMW, a Jaguar, and a Cadillac-this car beats them all-easily. Great ride coupled with excellent road feel, I can drive 8 hours and leave the cockpit feeling refreshed, 30/31 mpg at 75 mph-and only routine maintenance, brakes, and tires. Its not marriage material but next best!

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  Disappointment - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rich - July 28 - 5:06 am

  I traded in a 1991 Honda Accord for this vehicle. I thought i was buying a quality vehicle that I could drive for a long time. Within the first month of ownership, the vehicle had to be towed and problems continued from there. The vehicle was very costly to maintain. At a 100,000 miles , the transmission had to be replace for $5,000. There were many costly repair for the ten year ownership(it was a struggle but I try to keep my vehicle for ten years. I had no where near these problems with the Honda I traded in when I purchased this vehicle. I have now purchase another Honda Accord 2009. I will never buy another Mercedes.

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  The German tank - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By THE VIKING - July 27 - 8:46 am

  The most overengineered MBZ ever built. Love the Black leather, dont get the beige or gray. Even has a parking assist in 1997 ! I love this car. Best driving car I have ever driven. Parts are very $$$ if you buy this used. You can get one for 7K, but make sure it has been taken care of. Mileage is meaningless on this car. Maintenance is most important, and a good mechanic. These cars can go to 1,000,000 miles actually. I think its in the world record book. The car drives like a sports car. The car is very heavy, so get the S500, not the weaker S430 or S300, there too weak to pull this much weight. And get black interior.

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  ML430 is a Good Vehicle - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Christopher R. - July 27 - 8:43 am

  We have owned a 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML430 vehicle for four years. It has been extremely reliable. This is our second Mercedes and wont be our last. I recommend keeping up on service. We have had no problems. I do wish the front leg room was just a little bit bigger. I am 61" and it could be just a little longer.

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  One Nice Ride! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Gaman - July 27 - 6:03 am

  I traded in my 2003 E500 for this ML500. I loved my previous Mercedes but when I test drove the M500 I was in love!! This vehicle is awsome!! I have had it a month and I just cannot believe how much I enjoy driving it! It drives as good as my E but has more room and the quality of workmanship is even better!! I cant wait for Spring to take it out for country drives!!

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  ML430 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Joe - July 27 - 5:40 am

  Bought a Starmark vehicle. Wonderful vehicle! Dont understand the comments about fuel mileage. I get better than the EPA estimate. What do you expect from a truck? Solid as a rock and not top heavy feeling like other SUVs.

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  Lean mean machine - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Dr. Frank - July 26 - 11:16 pm

  This car is fun. Great performance. The power is there when you need it.The handling is great.The braking is great.Above all you feel safe in this car.I have no complaints about quality.Its all built in.Im holding on to this one.Its the first of my future collection.

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  Engine light on & works fine? Read this - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By James - July 24 - 7:23 pm

  Living in the heart of the Colorado Rockies I am surprised at how my ML320 performed in unforseen conditions on back forest roads, however I wish at times it had a bit better off-road capabilities (ML has the same clearance as LR Disco). My driver window regulator too went bad, a $200 repair. Also the check engine light has came on, if you get your codes read and it says fuel trim malfunction, there is a 95% chance your Mass Airflow Sensor needs replaced (located on the air intake hose just after the filter going to the motor)This will cost anywhere from $180-300 depending on where you get your parts but is an easy DIY when you have the part. Good overall SUV if you can afford well mantaince

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  Looking Forward - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ngb3 - July 24 - 4:56 pm

  Cant wait for the turbo-diesel variant. Great vehicle. Best Ive ever owned. Best Aspect : Ride/Drive quality. Drivers position excellent to adapt to any driver. After 6 hour drive, feel like youve only driven 1 hour. Economy - 21 at highway speeds. Good for an SUV Worst Aspect : Eats tires. 25k and had to replace all 4. Needs a full size spare mounted beneath vehicle instead of space saver in trunk

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  Fun Fun Fun - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By John - July 23 - 11:06 am

  I tested several small SUV before I bought this car. I have to admit it i love driving this car. The GLK is very fun to drive, classy and it handle very well. The onlything is that the leg room in the back is kind of small. I wish they add a couple more inch in the back.