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:

• 

  2005 Mercedes Benz E320 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Steve Lippert - July 14 - 2:33 am

  This is my 4th Mercedes, and by far the very best Ive ever owned. Comfort beyond expectations, styling in and outside the cabin is fantastic...a real head turner! This car is rock solid, regardless of the road. It never leaves me feeling like Im not in total control. Performs without flaws. A real touring sedan.

• 

  Benz - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By god - July 13 - 4:53 am

  I was all set to buy a BMW 3 series, as it comes with a free maintainence package, but my cousin who has a new C class took me for a test drive, and the result I bought one. whatever you talk, its the best by far an large. I drove to DC from NY and back the same day looking and feeling as fresh. This is the best car you can ever own for the price. People talk of performance of 3 series BMW, well I also used to. But whats the meaning of performance if other aspects are compromised, plus the free maintainence thing i guess is a wash. I am now a MB man from BMW boy.

• 

  BEST CAR EVER OWNED - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By RMEN - July 13 - 2:43 am

  I bought it with 4k miles on it. It has been a real joy driving and owing this car. Luxurious and powerful. I get a lot of compliments from people when they see the Panoramic sun roof.

• 

  Bought new and still sold on it! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By paul_p - July 12 - 10:00 am

  The car has been very fun to drive and reliable! It is a second car, so I do not drive it in the New England winters due to road salt, ice, etc. If you want ultimate reliability, get a Toyota. My previous car was a 1995 C-220 that was slow. This 2000 Kompressor Sport Special Edition (two-tone leather seats) model is a rocket, with lots of torque to climb hills or pass. Even at partial throttle it goes like a scalded cat! It also has MBs reputation, class, and styling to boot. Hope you are fortunate enought to find a good deal on one of these.

• 

  s-class Sport pkg is a piece of machine - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Thuan - July 12 - 10:00 am

  The S430 with the sport pkg is just did it for me. Love it the minute driving off the lot. I couldnt afford the s500 sport or the s55 but this vehicle enough for my pocket.

• 

  Great Performance with fair reliability - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By markeg - July 12 - 10:00 am

  The E500 is a dream to drive. The HarmonKardon stereo was impressive until my stereo system failed. It appears that there is a bug in the "communications gateway" and it will need to be replaced. This is a known issue (see other reviews) and requires a day in service. Besides a cracked glove compartment button, I have no other complaints.

• 

  Awesome Car!!! - 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By mjeagent - July 11 - 11:01 pm

  Traded my 2012 Audi A8L. My Audi was a great car but when you compare it to the look of the 2012 S Class AMG there is no comparison. Then you add the engine comparison and the decision is easy. Only have 200 miles in the car but I can tell you that it is built like a tank, drives like your on glass, and sounds like a dream - both the exhaust note and the bang & olufsen stereo system. Thats actually one option that one should not pass up. The sound system is AMAZING. Ive had 40+ cars with all sorts of sound systems and this one blows all others away. The price is one that you take with a lump in the throat as the Audi A8 I was trading had a sticker price of $104,000 - $50k lower than S63.

• 

  its been great - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By katana1127 - July 10 - 10:00 am

  bought brand new and my 2nd ml320. no major issues so far, handles great rain or snow. would buy another.

• 

  A solid buy - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Harry Schneider - July 9 - 12:56 pm

  The C Wagon 4wheel drive is an excellent vehicle. Excellent engine. Its quiet, but with very good accelleration. Very good heater and A/C.Super solid feel that BMW or any Japanese brand cannot match. Only complaint is that vehicle is too low !

• 

  Great car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ashok Kumar - July 9 - 12:46 am

  Great car. Fun to drive. A lot of features for the money and much more than comparable BMWs. Performance when you need it with the kompressor. Wife feels very safe in the car. Great gas mileage. On a recent 300mi highway trip, I got 34mpg by using cruise and keeping my speed at 65mph