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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  Initial Impressons of the new S Class - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By C Hull M.D. - February 26 - 10:00 am

  This car replaced identical 2000 S Class which had numerous electrical and computer problems. New model is free from these glitches. Never had mechanical problem with Mercedes. Enjoy the quality of the burl walnut and interior appointments. New features that I like are the power trunk,keyless go start on the shift knob, voice control on nearly everything,power curtains, digital readout of tire pressures and a much improved navigational system on DVD. Car remains very responsive with sharp turning radius. I dont need AMG assist for my driving.It appears to me M-B has given us many innovations that are quickly copied by other manufactures.

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  Fun on the road at last! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Reuben - February 26 - 10:00 am

  After years of the "family" card, I decided to purchase this beast of the road. I havent been disappointed in one thing as of yet. It is a "good day" car for me, It has seen rain maybe once so the milage is pretty low after 2 years (9K). It is actually quite comfortable on long trips and looks great!

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  SL500 Benz - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By SimonSL500 - February 26 - 10:00 am

  I love the ride. The car gets so much attention from other drivers, so be warned this car is a head turner! The engine is amazing when put into manual. Love it!

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  6th Mercedes - Very Impressed - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jmmushkin - February 26 - 5:57 am

  This is my 6th Benz since 88, and my 4th convertible. It is a major step up from the 2 CLKs I owned (03 and 05), and it is, naturally, much more car than the 07 SLK I traded in for this one. The quality of all the interior materials and finishes is excellent, the top works smoothly and quickly, and when closed it rides extremely quietly for a soft-top. The navigation system is vastly improved over the horrible SLK system I endured for 3+ years (which was an insult at over $2K), and, surprise!, the Germans have figured out cup-holders finally! But seriously, it is a solid, extremely well built car.

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  The Best !!!!!!!!!! - 2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By cemi - February 25 - 4:37 pm

  Love this truck, 5000 miles no problems !!! strong acceleration!! exterior styling!!!! and many more !!

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  11 year old E320 Avantguarde - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By crclark - February 25 - 8:31 am

  I purchased this car from a dealer that had it sitting for 4 years. It had a few minor problems that I have repaired myself. This car is the family favorite by far, its very fun to drive. We just took a 2000 mile round trip at 75-80 MPH and got 30 MPG !!!. I have never ridden or driven a vehicle that rides or handles like this car. My wife LOVES this car. The problems weve had are minor and easily repaired by myself and the prices for parts are not any different than my Ford diesel truck or my Jeep. Just shop around, google is your friend.

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  Superb Engineering and Perfromance - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Todd Rauppius - February 25 - 3:26 am

  I picked my C350W at the Sindelfingen factory as part of the European Delivery Alps/Black Forest rally trip. The level of comfort, quiet, and road performance is simply outstanding. As an engineer I really appreciate all of the hidden details and overall sophistication in the design features. I have driven stretches of autobahn at 110 MPH and the car is serenely quiet and rock solid at this speed. This is combined with strong brakes, effortless tracking on winding country roads, and unexpectdly good mileage on this trip 24.9 MPG overall. Firm seating comfortable for long stretches, awesome HK Logic 7 sound system, smart HID lights, and great instrumentation and controls.

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  LOVE THIS CAR - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Juan - February 23 - 2:06 pm

  The GLK Blow me away. I have to say that the is GLK built like a tank and drives like sports car. I got my GLK Fully loaded except for the Lighting package. I have 2 kids and a wife, and we fit nicely. The gas mile is OK. The power is great. The handling cant be any better. The leather package is more comfortable the the MBTex Leather this car is incredible! I Highly recommend it to anyone. Im Still breaking it in. Cant wait to hit it!

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  E55 - The "Q" Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bootknf - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Love the power and few know what you are really driving. Needs more leg room for really long drives for those of us over six feet tall (your right foot will cramp). Handling is great, love those "g" forces in a rock solid corner at high speed. It was the first delivered in the SE and I have put 10K miles on it this last year.

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  Not what you expect from a Benz - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Len - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Bought this ML new the first month the radio went! within a year I had to replace a power window switch, Rear pillar panel, and the top of the center armrest. within 18 months transmission leaked.The second winter the front heated seats quit. Not at all what you would expect from a Benz.