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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  Sweet car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By gred - January 5 - 6:53 pm

  This is a very satasfiing car. Sure it may be extremely expensive, but in my mind it is worth it. Not only is it fast, but it also has all of the luxury of any other Benz

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  No Regrets - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By noregret - January 3 - 12:10 pm

  Bought this SUV somewhat worried about quality but it has been terrific. It is a joy to ride and I and peace of mind with my family in it. We have driven it on snow, ice, freeway, mountain roads, towed waverunners and it passes with flying colors!

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  2008 ML350 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By spicoli - January 2 - 5:06 pm

  Too new to be totally fair with this vehicle, just bought it October 18. The SUV only has 101 miles however we have already received a warning message indicating a problem with the rear tail light. The dealership wants me to bring it back in however they are over 40 miles from my house and this vehicle is leased. Kind of soured me on the whole "new car" experience. So far we like the SUV and it has a lot of power, especially compared to my X5 which was terribly slow. I will follow back with a reliability report and how this issue is handled by MBUSA.

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  DONT UNDER ESTIMATE THE S430 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By mike cain - January 2 - 1:56 pm

  having had many large capacity german cars,the 2001 s430 i have owned for 6 months has to be the best,i usually travel from the top of the country to the west only stopping once,then walking from the car fresh. if i can recommend anything the s430 makes a little more sense as slightly better fuel and tax economy, do not give a lot away in 0-65 times and nothing in the limited top of 155 mph, economy wise i have personally had 32 mpg a steady average on my frequent m74,m6,m5 journeys. so to return that in this class of car should make you think twice as the price of a fmbsh car is cheaper than a second hand mondeao, any complaints about servicing,think about the car your driving!.

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  Best E430 - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By E430 Is Great - January 1 - 1:03 pm

  Very nice car inside and out. Very reliable. Only regular service needed and few minor services that are required when time comes like seals and stuff. Other than that its a very good car so far

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  Dont buy Mercedes S500 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Abi Vahdatinia - January 1 - 12:30 pm

  I am sick and tired of having problems with my S500 all the times. I took my car to a Mercedes dealer for oil change and inspection, the estimated cost for repairs is over $11,000. $1,600 for a headlamp replacement, $1,600 for replacing spark plugs and wires, $2,400 for replacing a leaking ABS pump, and so on. The estimate does not include the broken moonroof and tire pressure system. I dont recommend this car to anyone.

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  Dont be fooled - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By lglegl - January 1 - 3:33 am

  Dont be fooled by the fact that the emblem says Mercedes Benz. The car is poorly designed and poorly built. Interior is cramped; upgraded sound system is tinny; radio reception is awful; climate control is poor, navigation system is impossible to use. At least 5 service visits in less than a year due to defects. This is more like a Reliant K than a Mercedes Benz!

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  Wonderful so far - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Ned - January 1 - 12:20 am

  We have only had the ML for a couple of weeks, but we love it. We traded in a 2000 ML 320. In my test drive of the 06, the first place I went was to a parking lot to try it on the speed bumps. It was great! The old ML was a killer. We took the new ML on a 1600 mile trip and we got 23 MPG. It is very quiet and smooth. It is as quiet as my wifes Lexus ES 330. Our ML is silver with silver wheels. It is crying out for chromies. It has much more storage space in the rear than the old ML. I have not encountered any shifing problems so far - or any maintenance problems, but it is still pretty new. It handles really well and is powerful. The new shifter is nice once you get used to it.

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  Tight and fun to drive - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jack Franklin - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Love to drive this car. Easy to handle and easy on the gas. Good mileage.

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  Luv My CLK - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By SCSteph - December 31 - 2:00 am

  At first, I was skeptical to go back into a coupe. My two previous vehicles were SUVs. The body style is what first caught my attention. I also like that you do not see the CLK everywhere you go. After the test drive, the only question was cabriolet or coupe. The CLK drives so well and handles even better. I would like to have better gas mileage, but the safety features far outweigh an extra 5 mpg. I may never need the airbags or SOS, but just knowing they are there gives me peace of mind. This is a fun car to own and drive.