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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  A phenomenal automobile - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By ex-Bentley owner - August 28 - 8:20 am

  This car is superb in every aspect and has exceeded my expectations. The ride is that of a top of the line mattress, soft yet firm and supportive. The command system is very easy to learn, far superior to the iDrive BMW offers. The sound system is the best Ive ever listened to. The interactive seats are the most comfortable in the industry. I sold my 2006 Bentley GT Coupe for this jewel. The Bentley is a model T ford compared to this vehicle. The voice activation for every system has yet to make an error. The rear camera is a terrific addition. The build quality beats the Bentley and the telephone system is state of the art. This car reeks of luxury, opulence, and fineness.

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  2014 E550 Cabriolet - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By gstahl - August 27 - 5:02 pm

  This is a dream car come true. I love the performance, the build quality, the technology is amazing! My wife and I have 2 children and love top down driving! With the windows up and the air cap all four of us can talk with the top down doing 70 mph on the interstate. I have researched convertibles for 2 years before I ordered this car. I looked at BMW 6 series convertible, Audi RS5 convertible to mention a few. Without question, none of them come close to the E550 cab. If you are looking for performance, comfort, technology, cruising for a family of 4 this is it! I enjoy the driver assistant package. In stop in go traffic it does the driving!

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  My amazing baby Benz - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By DARLENA - August 26 - 7:03 pm

  She is sporty. She is safe, and she is the best car I have ever owned. I love the silver in front. My seats are comfortable and I believe she drives herself. I have never been happier.

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  German Beast - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By golfdino - August 26 - 2:01 am

  I have to say this car is best all around for commuting and long travel trips. Its not the best handling of the competition but it out accelerates all others in its class including BMW. I was in a 3 car crash at 70 mph once and walked away with no scratches. The bodyshop said if I was in a chevy, I would have lost my legs. Car is like a tank. The chassis is strong and stable. You feel very safe driving it at high speeds - but not as much as in the rain. Bose system is great- which is worth the option upgrade. The paint holds up for years and is strong against scratches and dings. I have had BMW, Lexus, Caddys, and Porsche - and I have to say the build quality of MB is the best.

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  Buy It - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Traildriver - August 26 - 2:00 am

  This is a very important model---The 2000-2002 series is the last of the masculine, broad-shouldered, zig-zag shifter, well-tuned brakes and steering, E320s --also faster than the 2003 model (150 lbs lighter). The classic lines with the deep fender-hood sculpture is more MB than the current model. Absolutely no problems.

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  great car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tony Romas - August 26 - 2:00 am

  The car is great on the highway and in the snow. Very happy with it. Some small problems had to be fixed more than once. Over all would recomend the car. My inlaws have the Bmw 3 series. While it is more "athletic" The Benz feels like it is a safer car. Great ride.

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  Mercedes Benz C240 (6M) - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By asimesen - August 25 - 9:50 am

  The only reason I bought this car was it came with a 6-speed manual transmission, the only MB sold with a manual in the USA in 2002,and it was the smallest MB to fit a family of 4-5. The car has excellent ride for it size and fun to drive with 6-speed manual. It has more power than I need with a small V-6. I must say built quality is poor, especially when it comes to electrical components. We had all kinds of problems with those dummy keys, they had to change several times; one time the trunk would not open for weeks until the dealer ordered parts and fixed it; and now the radio is not working properly. If I have to buy another car of this size again, it will be a BMW 3 series.

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  Lovin it - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By CDI Impressed - August 25 - 8:43 am

  This is an amazing car. Luxury, power and economy. Our test drive sold us on the CDI. It was more powerful than an E320 gas model.

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  Love My CLK! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By lovemyclk1 - August 24 - 8:49 pm

  My 2007 Benz CLK 350 has been an awesome car! Very dependable and reliable! No complaints here! Well, maybe wish it had a bigger back seat....then I guess I should have bought a 4 door sedan then! No! I am very happy and highly recommend the CLK! I have seen many negative remarks about this car but if you research all cars no matter the brand you will find flaws and defects with all makes and models including the BMW brand etc. Also, the Mercedes is so much cheaper to maintain than the Beamer, I know first hand experience! :) on this one!

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  Design Outdated - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Tom S. - August 24 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car somewhat reluctantly. Its far less expensive than my first choice, the BMW X5, about the same as an MDX. Frankly, the Mercedes-Benz badge made it the choice over the MDX. Has a simple, somewhat rugged exterior without being pretentious (Lexus RX300 and Mercury Mountaineer). Got just the minimum: Luxury and Convenience package with the Bose sound system.