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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  The King of Automobiles - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By harris hardin - June 9 - 7:46 pm

  This S550 is absolutely wonderful. Its a car anyone would dream of owning and driving daily or just some extended trips. Its so roomy andcomfortable, and you can always tell that there is plenty of power left at any speed. A 5 star winner for Mercedes of North America.

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  Love it! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Smithtenn - June 7 - 10:00 am

  This is our third ML. Have two now. Great for traveling. We feel much safer in this vehicle than any we have owned. Navigation system is excellent. Now have over 75000 miles on this one and 50000 miles on wifes 2001.

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  Impressive! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By ACrossley - June 7 - 10:00 am

  My wife had always wanted a Benz. Ive driven BMWs for the last seven years. I must say Im very impressed with this car. While it doesnt handle like a BMW, it is none the less very impressive. I love to drive the car. The weekend I bought it, I drove it 1,000 miles and loved it! I definitely have moved over to Mercedes Benz!

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  Great Car to drive - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ceglarz Motor Repair - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I have had my MB C230 Kompressor since May of 2003 and I cannot express how much beauty, comfort and the way the car handles that this car has. This is possibly the best car I have owned by far.

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  Lemon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rev9K - June 7 - 10:00 am

  Worst engine ever driven period enough said.

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  Makes a GREAT PLANTER - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By lemonade - June 7 - 10:00 am

  The concept was fabulous.The exterior fabulous.The fun driving fabulous. However it looses its appeal after the 9th time it is in for repairs within a few months. It really lost its appeal when the Designo edition $103,000 began to smell. A pungent cat urine (as described by dealer- I dont have a cat) odor so foul it burned your eyes & throat. Six months more of repairs and interior replacements...it still stinks. Numerous calls to the manufacturer (because the dealer CANNOT? do anything except let me BUY my way out of the car) still no response!

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  Outstanding Automobile - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Barondane - June 6 - 5:23 pm

  The E350 is the perfect car for those who drive more than 25,000 miles yearly. This E truly lives up to the MB mystique. Fantastic ride, build quality, and exterior styling.

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  Bought it and returned it in 2 days - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Steve - June 6 - 1:03 pm

  Traded 2001 Porsche 911 Carerra4 convertible in on this.1st mistake was to buy this car,as my past cars,w/o really testing it,even though the dealer offered to let me drive it over the weekend. Mistake 2 was thinking that since Chrysler & Mercedes have now divorced, there would be no longer any residual parts from one division to the other...wrong.Basically it is the quality of the Crossfire. Plastic cheap parts,great engine,shoddy body part fit & overall...basically a glorified Chrysler. I guess if I wanted a Chrysler..I would have bought one. I am in no way trying to bash this car,& feel owning a Mercedes, BMW & Ferraris in the past,I know cars.Ended up buying a BMW 650i,and love it.

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  Ive Found My Brand. - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By 5280realtor - June 6 - 2:23 am

  Excellent vehicle, all around. Sure, it has some weaknesses, but through and through this thing is an impeccably built tank. Ive waited awhile to review this small SUV until living with it for some time (not quite 2 years now). Ive previously owned Lexus, Saab, and several BMWs. The GLK demonstrates what Mercedes-Benz is all about, and this is (was) their 2nd least expensive model -- bodes well for the more expensive lines. Ive had exactly one problem with the car in nearly 25,000 miles; a failed wheel bearing that the dealer had only ever seen twice before on the GLK. Lets not discuss how many times my SAAB saw the dealer in 25,000 miles, nor the BMW for that matter.

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  So far so good - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By whchuang - June 5 - 5:13 pm

  We used to own a 1993 300E 2.8 (the legendary W124) and really loves it. However the steering wheel was too heavy for my wife so we had to sell it and replaced with this 2012. The 2nd day of the ownership (new car with 15 miles) the SRS warning light went on for no reason. Dealer did a lot of diagnostic and couldnt find the problem. However, that problem later one just disappeared. I guess that again too many complicated electronics made the car less reliable. That said, after that incident, its been about a year now and we didnt have any other trouble. The car drives great. Just wish that the build quality and reliability can be on par with the old school W124 though.. (sign)