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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  Solid and Fun - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ShilohShooter - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Never thought Id use the word "fun" to describe a wagon, but this one has plenty of power, and handles almost as well as my 328i, which is impressive for a wagon. Solid construction, interior is roomier than I was expecting given the cars dimensions. Enough cargo space to meet our needs on long trips (2 adults + 2 kids). Rear seats fold down flat, giving lots of hauling room when needed, and cargo floor is "flush" with a low loading height--no need to lift objects over a lip to get them in the back.

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  I LOVE THIS CAR!! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By spenc618 - March 30 - 5:59 am

  I was very concerned on the maintenance cost for this car but its really not as bad as you think if you are mentally prepared to expect slightly higher costs. I did have a transmission issue that kept the car jumping into default mode (3rd gear). I hear it is a common issue.. a $900 dollar issue. Other than that (FYI the dealership treated me very well) I brought the car as a weekend car. The power and looks make it practically impossible to NOT drive it daily. It pulls so smoothly from the light that it is not until you look in the mirror or down at the dash that you notice you are moving so quickly. Only car i have driven just for fun like riding my motorcycle.

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  Amazing Vehicle - 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Linda J. - March 29 - 2:16 am

  I love my Mercedes, the fact that you can go from hard top to soft top in a few easy minutes. There is room for a couple of bags in the back "seat", unlike other sports cars where you dont even have room for a purse. The ride is like sitting home in your livingroom. The gas mileage on mine is 30-32 mpg on a trip. Its an all around beautiful car. I am not an engineer, but I see no improving on perfection here. I have driven them all, I wanted to before I made an educated purchase and this was the only one standing at the end of the tests, all things considered, gas mileage, comfort, style, class.

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  E430 rules - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tommy - March 27 - 2:33 am

  The E430 is my third Mercedes Benz. Ie had the C280, E320, E320 4matic and now the E430. I miss my awd but I can honestly say this model has made me the most satisfied to date. The power is awesome and drivers give you respect when you come rolling thru. Its truly the ultimate in luxury. Once you drive one theres no turning back.

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  one of the worlds greatest sedans - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By thekman - March 26 - 10:00 am

  a really beautiful car, awesome power, if ur going for the e500 at least. 302hp and 330 lbs per torgue at your toes and finger tips. great comfort up front, not as much in the back, but still more then enough space.

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  Great family car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By joy5d2002 - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Considered LS and 540. Chose E430 for good blend of performance and luxury. Its perfect for our family of 4.

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  Baby Benz with S-Class features - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mcync - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Great car Ive ever owned. Quiet, reasonable power, good mileage, excellent handling, excellent brakes, and classy.

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  LOVE MY CLK 500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By David Silverstein - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I love it, got all the options!

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  Just Amazing performance - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Thomas J - March 23 - 2:00 am

  I just bought my new CLK 500, I had an Audi before this car. The CLK 500 is just amazing from a performance standpoint, it corners very well and has tons of power.

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  Only the outside rear view mirror.... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By AdeP - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Im finally driving my new E320 2003 Sport package. No doubt superior in handling and looks that the plain E 320. Everything looks perfect. Only minor observations. The outside rear view mirror, on the drivers side, could very well be turned more to have a better, and safer, look, at incoming traffic when waiting to get into an expressway from a 45 degree intersection with a stop sign. Also the gas lid could be as solid as in previous models. Also the screen is too small. Time for corrections. Warning! MB dealers are slowly looking more and more like American automobile dealers. Watch out!