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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  Best car Ive ever had - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Bill - April 13 - 11:53 am

  Ive had my car since October of 06 and it has not had one problem. Amazing. Power is unbelievable, ride likewise.

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  CLK55 AMG Initial Evaluation - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By dorrissan - April 13 - 2:00 am

  The perfect convertible. Delivery by Crown Motors BHM was excellent; Styling, performance, handling, ride comfort and quality are 10s and make this a great value. The engine is a real gem and I love just to hear it start. You can tell the engine is serious. Rear seat has adequate leg room given it overall dimensions. The one buttom top open/close is amazing.

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  320 and 500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By djacek - April 13 - 2:00 am

  I have owned both the 320 and the 500 both are the 2004 cabs.I find it ok in the snow for the most part and love everything about them exept for the 1 cup holder.Why did they only put 1 cup holder.

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  Dont Be Fooled By Imitations - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DOT - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned the E-class since the 1993 400E. Our current E430 is evident of M- Bs efforts in giving design priority over engineering. With that said, the E430 is a very sound car. It drives, feels, and looks luxurious. Its the real thing, not a Toyota, Honda, or Nissan rebadged. Dont be fooled by the gingerbread of these imitators!

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  Factual and Truthful - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SenorHotel - April 13 - 2:00 am

  Aside from a defective alternator @ 1,000 miles and a loose headrest, the E500 4Matic hasnt disappointed. It has handled superbly through 30"+ of NE snow thus far. Solid car, solid ride, good price/value correlation.

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  Be aware - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Angry mb owner - April 12 - 3:11 am

  I leased my car in September from mercedes of brooklyn. 1 week later the main screen broke. In the shop for 5 days. Three weeks later front right headlight went out. Another 4 days in the shop. When drive in sport plus mode when gears shift vibration sounds from passenger side rear end. Was told its normal. Then two months no issues. Then the real fun began. Steering was off and making whining sounds. Needed a whole new power steering unit. Then the sunroof broke and wouldnt close from vented position. Brought the car in April 29 multiple conversations with service waiting for parts. Every week I was told a couple days more. 3 months later parts finally arrived. Now trying to get out of my lease all together and go back to infiniti.

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  500SL Review - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Thomas Fillingim - April 11 - 12:50 pm

  After owning 2 other 500SLs, I can say that Mercedes finally got it right. The balance between luxury and sport is magnificent. I do not feel like Im riding on a truck chassis in the 2005 model. In the previous SLs I did. This car is luxury. Comfortable, yet very tight in terms of handling. It truly hugs the road while giving the feeling of being in a luxury automobile. The interior and exterior lines of the vehicle are very well thought out. It is a very classy automobile.

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  2014 ML350 Mercedes Benz - 2014 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By roger BINK - April 11 - 12:34 pm

  buying used if you find the one you like that has been taken care of makes a lot of sense. Mine was 2 years old, 23,900 miles and looks and drives showroom new, but i only paid $36,900 for a car that was over $55,000 when it first sold.

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  First time buyer - 1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By John Wood - April 11 - 10:00 am

  As a first time buyer, i am very pleased with my purchase.I have never owned a foreign car before. I would tell my friends to buy one.

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  Decent car, but not for the money - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Disappointed in NY - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Good power, sophisticated AWD/traction control, resonable comfort, good headroom/rear legroom. BUT poor placement of controls, rear seat lowering is a nightmare, questionable quality (e.g. fuel pump died at less than 15,000 miles, no rear A/C vents, no climate control for A/C, poor CD changer placement, awful gas mileage, minivan appearance, cup holders are a joke, difficult access to spare tire.