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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  Whoa! This is the one for the ages - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By no mickey mouses - September 7 - 10:00 am

  Ive had them all- vette,Beemer,GTX,442,GTO and this is the finest rocket ship of all. It is simply the fastest and finest 4 door sled on 4 wheels and the panoramic roof really covers it with class,dignity and amazement. Hand built 469 HP engine. There is no comparison even an M5. Headrests are a must on acceleration! Stuttgart,I hate to admit it but you did it...RIGHT!

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  MBs Finest! - 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By MThompson - September 7 - 5:16 am

  This is the first Mercedes I have owned and I do not believe I will ever own another type of vehicle. Both interior and exterior design are excellent and the overall quality is exceptional. The handling and reliability far exceed any expectations. This is a true drivers car! Definitely worth the price! This car is rock solid - built like a tank but handles like a sports car - feels very safe. The mechanics of the soft- top and ease with getting the hard-top in place are a true testimate to Mercedes fine engineering capabilities.

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  A beautifully smooth ride! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mrsnetpro - September 6 - 11:50 pm

  Perhaps its the Michelin tires on the car, but this has to be one of the smoothest riding cars we have owned. The only drawback, if you want to call it that, is the acceleration. Once its moving though, its easy to find yourself doing 90. For comparative purposes I drove the sedan, and the two ride completely different. I cant see spending another $20,000 to get the E class wagon, simply to get more speed. I doubt it could be more comfortable that this one. The gas mileage is good and will only improve once its broken in.

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  Only One Thing Missing - 2011 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By wfwalton - September 6 - 10:16 am

  Great car, got a great deal. Whole family loves it. Amazing ride. Got $3,000 off MSRP using USAA buying program and dealer threw in Premium 1 package. Cheaper to lease than a Ford Edge.

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  Elegant Confidence - 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Chuck S. - September 4 - 2:30 pm

  My eighth S-Class, the 2010 S550 is a marvel. Once you master the flush switches and COMAND options, you are piloting the most confident car on the planet. And it inures you into its confidence. The interior is elegant, sophisticated and beautiful. I have the black premium leather and select the Polar blue ambient lighting and its a marvel to me even after 3 months. The Distronic PLUS reduces you driving to steering only, if you allow it. It all works as stated. The LED lighting front and rear was designed to be functional as one would expect; but also designed to make a statement that shows off Mercedes-Benz style. I have 9,800 miles on my car, and there has not been a single problem .

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  CLS 55 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Postman - September 3 - 5:13 pm

  The car is unbelievable. I have driven Aston Martins, Porsches and many other sports cars before this one and this is second to none of them. The trunk is large for golf clubs and luggage so you can actually drive this car out of town, what a novel idea. The power is tremendous and the CLS handles very well compared to all the other mercedes available.

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  Great Car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Mike - September 2 - 9:26 pm

  Recently purchased this CPO vehicle and I love it. I havent had the car long enough to have anything break, but the design, comfort, power, and features are fantastic!

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  No C student - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bzarlzar - September 2 - 3:06 pm

  I just traded in my 2002 C240 for a 2006 C280...comparitively, it was as if I just walked into a cheap E class. While the C240 was a great deal at the time and a good first into into the Mercedes line, the C280 is just loads more fun, far more luxurious and a hell of a lot faster. The styling and appointments are significantly plush and sophisticated than both the Audi A4 and the BMW 3 series, and I know it gets more admiring double takes than either of the others. I cant imagine that there is a better deal under $40k for German engineering than the 2006 C280.

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  No all its cracked up to be - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By hectorsoy - September 2 - 3:36 am

  Ive driven this car for 3 months and am not impressed. The tiptronic shifts for itself when I rev towards redline. The interior seems cheap. The volume controls on the steering wheel should be on the left side instead of the right. The car seems crude compared to the Acura TSX and BMW 3 and Lexus IS. My other car is the TSX and the tiptronic shifts much better and much more responsive. And it wont upshift by itself!! It is also difficult to coax a downshift when at medium rpms, this is no problem on the Acura. The instruments are archaic and difficult to read when compared to the Japanese counterparts. People who are happy with this car must have driven Buicks beforehand.

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  Nice car, a few quirks - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Goodoc - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Clk-320 is a great car, fun to drive. A little snug and low, but so are most sports cars. Dont like cup holder. Have blown two tires in 5 months, how?/why? Very smooth ride, quick. Excellent audio. Cant stand air system, too loud when on high, which is all the time in the summer if you want to be cool. Mercedes telecom system stinks compared w/ GMC OnStar. Cheep tire jack. No satellite radio. Love the car, but a tad disappointed.