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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  Nice, but not a Lexus - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Fast55 - November 11 - 3:50 am

  Ive way more issues with the 06 than my old E55 (2002 W210 E55) although, yes, the 2006 is a rocketship in comparison. MB has lost the "tank like" build quality of the older cars, and doesnt seem to care what the buyer endures as far as problems, but the car is scary fast, and is still the best 4 door hot rod money can buy. Get the build quality up to Lexus standards, and there will be no room for BMW in this market.

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  Great car, but a ton of money - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By big dan - November 8 - 11:40 am

  The interior is superb, roomy, and comfortable. Except for a driveline noise that seems to be appearing, the interior is quiet and the ride is smooth. You can tell that the engine is a little small for this 5000lb beast, but the 7-speed makes do with what its got to make it manageable. Fuel mileage is around 17.5 city and 22 highway. Not bad for a 7 passenger vehicle! The maintenance cost is high, so beware. An oil change (just oil, nothing else!) is $280. You can do the maintenance yourself, but I am expecting a challenge from MB on lease turn in time.

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  Great SUV but - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By tarrid - November 8 - 7:19 am

  Real fun to drive, lots of power with the 4.3l. Nicely designed vehicle. but could have been made better. I have driven this ML for about 1 year now and if you dont stay on top of things it would fall apart. Just the up keep will put you in the red. Parts cost alot (dont buy from the dealler) unless they are small parts. $100 for a oil change ( oil and filter ) and i do it my self. synthetic oil only. $100 for the 16 spark plugs. super gas only $$$$$$$$ Tires $$$$$$, Power window switch. Check engine light on and off all the time. I knew it would cost abit more to keep (Mercedes Benz ) but i have a family and a life. This is a very time and money consumming vehicle to own.

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  Good Car - Could Use Some Improvements - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By JHas - November 8 - 2:00 am

  Had car for just under 2 years and 27000 miles. Love power/acceleration and AWD system (with Blizzak snow tires, car will go anywhere in any weather). No mechanical problems to date. Car is relatively anoymous and yet it commands a certain respect. Need improvement: 1. Front seats - in order to get lumbar support, had to order a special seat; worst drivers seat that I have ever experienced (and have had cars from many manufacturers including, Jaguar, Nissan, Saab, Mitubishi, VW) 2. Not having a separate dash insert to play a CD is ridiculous in a car costing this much

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  Love It or Sell It - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Perplexed Owner - November 7 - 10:00 am

  A few minor annoying problems for first 3 yrs (23000 miles)-- glove box, front seat adjustment handle, etc. Fuel pump failed in 3rd year. Faulty work on fuel pump resulted in a second replacement in the 4th year (28000 miles). The 4 year warranty is definitely valuable.

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  Great Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Floyd McKissick - November 7 - 10:00 am

  I also have a 2000 CLK and this car has just as much "go" to it. I also like it much better than my 97 Z3. This is a great car. Fun to drive.

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  Good Looks. Lacks Interior Features - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Stu - November 4 - 1:36 am

  Wife and I love the looks. In comparison, I wanted the Acura TL which has more ponies, better leather and interior creature features. Wife loved it more than me. Imagine a $38K car without full power passenger seats. The seat/mirror/steering wheel memory is poorly designed. Instead of just pressing a button, you have to hold it in to change from one setting to another. Also, its not activated from the remote key. No compass. The steering wheel controls for the radio and readouts are confusing and not user friendly at all. Im in a 2yr lease and cant wait for it to expire. Better choices Lexus I250 or Acura TL or yet BMW330I

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  one great car - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By tollerkoch - October 29 - 10:00 am

  I just bought this car last week on ebay and drove it from Miami to Santa Fe,NM. Everything you expect from a Benz and more. The ride is luxurious, quiet, and has plenty of power. Speaking of power, the interior is a living room, all leather and power everything. After testdriving about ten NEW cars from GM, VW, Nissan and Chrysler I can honestly say that none of the new ones was a match for this six year old car. I owned a beautiful 92 300CE Coupe, which was a total loss after I got rear ended, but this car has helped me to forget her.

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  poor electical sysyem - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By c matthis - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Two of the origional tires developed problems early on as the steel belts went out of allignment and the tire manufacturer refused to honor their warranty forcing the purchase of a complete set of new tires. No need to focus on the problems while the car was under warranty as Mercedes handled those well. Afterwards the electronics in the dash went haywire and caused some problems under the hood.Total cost to repair both was almost $1100. When I marveled that the dealership had these unusual parts in stock, I was told that this problem has become very common causing Mercedes to stock their dealerships with these parts for prompt repairs.

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  The ultimate car for a road trip. - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By crash2much - October 24 - 6:27 am

  Wonderful car for the intended purpose; very happy with the purchase. A most relaxing ride; very comfortable & supportive seats and least amount of road noise I have experienced in a car. Have the premium 2 and sports package. Got 46mpg with cruise control going 71mph on a road trip; around town average ~30. Get well over 500 miles per tank of diesel. Stereo system overall is fantastic, navigation system is a much needed improvement over previous generation and is very good. Engineering is what is expected; best in class trunk size when trunk closes engineered to not pinch the luggage! All season floor mats a must for us; cost extra but are great. Bluetooth works fine & easy to set up.