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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  The Ultimate Car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By apb - July 23 - 7:13 pm

  This car has it all; performance of a supercar, beautiful in and out, luxury, hardtop and convertible. Drive it only in Manual Mode and the suspension and transmission rivals race cars yet it is so full of luxury and a convertible of hard top for winter or foul weather.

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  Best of series - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By David - July 21 - 8:50 am

  I have owned several Mercedes, most recently C280 and then an E320. The E350 4-matic is the run away best. From the outset, it has a better ride, firmer integrity, and high comfort. In some ways it has moved closer to S-class feel and ride -- not all the way. The interior seems much roomier than my previous 2003 E320, even though the specs are only a bit roomier. The additional of 4-matic has been awesome (for me in the Midwest), comparable to the moving power of my spouses ML in snowy conditions. I look forward to trips -- I added iPod integration and the sound is totally amazing resembling fixed speakers. Sound far exceeds radio/satellite radio. iPod control on wheel is a bit tricky.

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  Power Plus Quality - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bootknf - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Has all the power you could want and transfers it to the pavement well. Absolutely no mechanical problems in nearly 2 years.

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  Great handling and fun to drive - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Jan Elberse - July 19 - 10:00 am

  This car looks great, handles like a dream, and has power to spare. Very fun to drive, great trunk space for a relatively small car, lots of cool features. Roll down the windows and it feels like youre driving a convertible.

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  Excellent - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Lou Nguyen - July 19 - 10:00 am

  i have an very good time with the new car i drove i love the air filter in the car and i also love the seat the way leather make me feel so important in this car the more confidence i have with the new car thanks BENZ

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  2017 Mercedes Benz C43 Sedan - 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Allen - July 15 - 6:27 pm

  I love my new C43, its 4 days old and cant get enough. I dont really listen to music anymore so that I can hear the exhaust and engine noise(AMAZING!!!) Sounds like a mini Ferrari (coming from cousins who own many Ferraris) The only thing I was shocked at was not having the touch pad and 8.3 inch screen as standard equipment, thats a must for a $62,000 car.

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  BMW Fan Get His Mercedes - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By HiHoMike - July 15 - 3:16 am

  Ive owned 7 BMW 5 series vehicles. The last one I had was a 535i, but it rode so badly and had many problems When I got my new E350, I was really surprised. I got the Sport Package, which stiffens the ride a bit, but not as harsh as the BMW. Ive only had it for a week or so, but fuel economy is good (not great) and the handling is stupendous for a Benz. I only hope I dont have problems with this E350 as I see many people have had some problems, but cant be as bad as the BMW535i.

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  lst Time Mercedes Owner - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Marianne B. - July 15 - 2:36 am

  Purchased my C280 AWD in Oct. 06. The ride is truly smooth. It takes road bumps with no problem. The sound system is great and the navigation system gets me where I want to go without getting lost. I had to take the car back to the service department since it was surging forward when my foot came off the brake. They discovered it was down a 1/2 quart of transmission fluid (and this is a brand new car). Needless to say, Im gonna keep my eyes open to this potential problem.

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  Ticky tack - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By BllyG - July 15 - 1:06 am

  Bought car and afterward had knee surgery. Only 250 mi Ive put on car, but, garage door opening buttons on rear view mirror receded and unit had to be replaced. Rained on way to dealer and had clicking/sticking noise from wipers; fix - they had been installed backwards. Have replaced air filters w/K&N; going on long trip and soon and hope to see improvement on gas mileage.

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  Luxury feels good - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ctwinters - July 14 - 1:00 pm

  In rural CT the roads are slippery in the winter making 4wd a must. After test driving the Acura RL, Audi A6, BMW 540xi, Infiniti M35 awd and Lexus gs350 awd, I decided on the Mercedes E350 4matic. The Japanese have better electronics, the BMW cornered the best, the Audi was attractive and competent, but the Mercedes looked and drove like a true luxury car with 4wd. Its a pleasure to drive.