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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  Kinks to work out - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By AndyT - August 23 - 2:00 am

  Finally after 2 1/2 years of trips to the repair shop, I finally gave up on my ML. 12 trips to the shop for 8 different reasons and I finally had enough. The last straw was getting stranded by a fuel pump failure. All items were covered under the warranty but for $40,000 I at least want a car that runs for a couple of years before mechanical failures set in.

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  Hopeless - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By S.Y. - August 23 - 2:00 am

  Interior noises ( Wood panel, dash, Drivers seat, Passenger seat, Rear cabin area,... ), dealership had to replace my brakes twice, replaced airmatic suspension ( still has problem ), replaced CD changer, replaced bottom of the drivers seat twice ( Needs third one! ), Replaced Keyless entry system,.... After 17 mon. Im so sick of this Good looking junk. Im making at least one visit to the service every month. Its my third mercedes in last 3 years, and the worst one. Actually the worst vehicle I ever had. Service department is great, but couldnt fix most of rattles!!! Im 26yrs. old and this will be my LAST mercedes... I miss you, Lexus!

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  Truth after the deal - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By KL - August 11 - 1:16 am

  I have purchased a new sport C 230 with a navigation package. The car is fun to drive but a few mistakes can really cost you a lot. The front end is low to the ground and easily bumps into things like parking blocks or low curbs. The wheels are beautiful but very expensive along with the high performance tires. When parking the car care must be taken not to hit the curb or else you will hear $ signs scraping away...The navigation system is not user friendly but once programed is very accurate and fun to follow. My truth in a reccomendation would be to take a longer look at the competion.. I now wish I had..

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  My Lemon - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jo - August 1 - 11:03 pm

  I always heard Mercedes was a well made car, but then I got mine. My car goes into the shop every month for something. After 3000 miles my a/c leaked out all over inside my car. My last straw was when my car handle broke off after being in the shop for a month. Mercedes is willing to fix the problems but not do anything else. I find this VERY wrong for such a big car company. AND THEY also stated every year you own the car the value reduces $5000 to $7000 because they tried to give my $20000 for a year old bought brand new car.

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  Caveat Emptor - Let the Buyer Beware! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By NewLexusDriver - July 30 - 10:00 am

  My CL500 was one of the worst driving experiences I have ever had (previously owned 2 MBs). I purchased, from a Mercedes dealer, a 2001 model with 3,000 miles. BIG MISTAKE. There were major problems with the CD player, the instrument panel, the windows, the headlights, the nav system and the pneumatic doors. I finally gave up after driving the car 9,000 miles and taking it to dealers 8 times for repairs receiving no real assistance or compensation for my inconvenience from Park Place Motors, Dallas(one time they paid for a rent car), or Mercedes-Benz. Of note: when I traded, Park Place Mercedes-Benz/Mid-cities, where I had purchased the car,would not even submit a bid for the trade.

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  Benz in Trouble - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By JFJ - July 10 - 9:33 pm

  The E class, although elegant, beautifull and world class, has been very disappointing. Reliability, simply stinks! Performance is unpredictible and truck like at times. This is the E5004matic, with the adjustable/adaptive suspension that is at the sport II mode is worse than my replaced Acura MDX 2004. Comfort is subjective, however, the level of noise inside the car is a Ford F150 on a train crossing. The Hydro nonsense brakes are the worst Ive had on a car, unpredictible, you simply do not have a clue everytime you want to stop how much pressure you should be applying. The car sticker is 70grand+. That is the problem?! for that much cash EVERY car in its class is a better one?

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  ML350 - Dont touch one! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dutchy01 - June 7 - 12:00 pm

  If you research this vehicle you will find they have problems with the balance shaft and this equals expensive repairs. MB will not admit a problem exists but the blogs show this to be untrue. They have also introduced a replacement (read upgrade) kit to address their non existent problems. My experience has been that a cog on the balance shaft has disintegrated causing much internal damage. The engine had to be removed and parts replaced. 30 hours labour. Can you afford the risk? I currently have 2 MBs but will not touch another one.

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  Nice to drive, expensive to maintain - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By scott hollander - June 5 - 11:50 pm

  Nice car to drive. It handles well. All in all I really like the vehicle. Unfortunetly Mercedes doesnt make a reliable car. In the five years that I owned it these are some of the problems that I had or at least the ones that I can remember. Windows wouldnt go up, replaced button pad twice. Brakes went after 40,000. Requires ceramic pads very expensive. Key wouldnt turn in steering wheel lock. Catalytic converter had a cracked tube and sounded like a boat until I got it fixed. Front headlight had to be replaced after 15,000. Rear light holder on inside rear door had to be adjusted. Wires under passenger seat rattled. Some part on the air intake need replacing $ 500. Now the gas gauge isnt working .Great!

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  Many Problems - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bill - June 2 - 5:16 pm

  I had to have the whole engine replaced after 5 trips to the dealer for excess oil useage. Exterior lights burn out. Now major problem with transmission which will not upshift and very jerky. Probably been in the shop a total of 30+ days with other problems

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  Great Design, Poorly Built - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By drsage - May 24 - 11:30 am

  In twelve months of ownership, I have been to the dealer eleven times for fixes and repairs: replaced power seat motors; replaced remote keys (twice); reset of lock system so I could open my truck; replace driver door seal; etc.. I believe my car was built during Octoberfest. The dealer has been somewhat sympathetic, and MBUSA has been entirely arrogant. Next time a Lexus