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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  CL550 Stealth mode Luxury & Performance - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By English Euro - February 9 - 8:20 pm

  I bought my CL550 in like-new condition with 10k miles on it. This is a superb car. It is fun to drive, classy looking, loaded with high tech gadgets but not hard to use. Not obnoxious like driving a Bentley; most people dont know what the CL is which is a good thing. Nightvision is cool but weird to have a TV-like display on the dash while driving. Keyless go is neat, but takes a little getting used to. Car handles and accelerates very well. I have a 2005 911S which I may sell, as the CL seems an adequate replacement. I also have a 2004 S500 4matic which I may keep as my winter car. The phone integration with my Blackberry is excellent.

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  Comfort and Performance - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Luxury and Practical - February 8 - 5:56 pm

  This vehicle has taken its hit on fuel economy but I didnt buy this Mercedes Benz ML 350 (special edition) for this purpose. Its the best all around SUV that I test drove including the BMW SUV 5.0 which I liked but which was overpriced. The special edition includes 17 inch wheels which add to the comfort of the ride. Ive owned a Cadillac Escalade and had test drven all the comparable SUVs prior to buying and concluded that this luxury SUV had it all. The ride is comfortable when you drive this SUV unlike other SUVs which drive like a truck.

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  Built to Last - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Ron - February 8 - 9:23 am

  Bought this car as a used Starmark auto the year it came out and having driven it for 10 years now I have had almost zero repairs other than standard maintenance. Recently my car was hit hard by another car right at the drivers door and both the car and I were just fine-not the same with their car. This car is a tank that is light on its feet, beautiful to drive and look at and it has performed beyond expectation. Only drawback are the upkeep on the low profile front tires which require changing often.

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  r 350 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By iliana woodford - February 8 - 4:00 am

  Drives nicely, low maintenance. Changed 4 tires at 23,000 miles looks fancy and with style not to many people have it. Paint always looks shiny looks as new. Good acoustic, you can all talk and be heard inside the car, different from other vans where only the people in the front can talk. Very silent the motor, no noise from the outside, you get the feeling you are inside a private mini jet.

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  My First Mercedes - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Golf4evr - February 7 - 6:03 pm

  This car is hot, especially when all the windows are down. I receive so many nods of appreciation. One beautiful vehicle. Awesome surround sound. This car has so many amenities which I was not used too. Great to drive. Just returned from a 1200 mile (roundtrip) road test. This car performs and handles quite nicely. Did not really monitor gas mileage, but as I think about it now, it was pretty great on gas on the highway.

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  I like the looks! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By MB Guy - February 7 - 4:56 am

  My dealer found one on the boat in my color, loaded and at 0.9% APR. They will take $2300 off MSRP with no problem (dealer prep can be knocked down too). The running boards look nice and prevent door dings, but are a detriment to getting in and out. MB wont be making any GLKs until June that will have the automatic fold function for the rear view mirrors. The mirrors are supposed to be heated automatically at low ambient temps, but will that be available in June as well, or does that work now? When talking to the Finance guy he will ask about other options like paint protection etc. He will knock off about $200 from each and everything because he gets credit (points) for these additions.

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  CAUTION - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steve - February 7 - 4:20 am

  Looks can be deceptive. The C230 is a very good looking car. I have owned this car for two months, and unfortunitly, so far the bad out ways the good. At 1200 miles the car has been to the dealer twice for the same items (trans slip, & gas mileage) Expect city mileage around 13 to 16, and maybe 25 on the highway if your going downhill. Gas mileage is a really big issue because performance of the C230 does not overcome the poor gas mileage, far under advertised. Would I buy a BMW 3 Series over the C230, probably not, but yet again I probably would not buy another Mercedes based on my current experience.

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  Muscle car in Mercedes Clothing - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Johnec - February 5 - 9:20 pm

  I heard so much about this car that I had to test drive it, 24 hours later I owned it! With a friends performance computer stuck to the window I pulled a 0-60 4.7 seconds and a 1/4 mile a little over 13. This car is grace and elegance inside and out (heck.. its a Mercedes, what would you expect?) But underneath the hood and behind the tires beats the love-child of a Porsche or a Corvette. This car is a monster! Forget all the reviews find one and go drive it... but preferably at a dealership, I am afraid a private owner might cry while you push the throttle and his Z rated tires light up like the 4th of July.

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  The black bean! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By 4dr C240 Sedan - February 5 - 3:03 pm

  This is my first Mercedes-Benz purchase. I really like driving my car and the service that was included in the initial factory warranty.

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  tough truck - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By bobafet - February 5 - 10:00 am

  this is a great car for trips down the trail or cruising at 90, take your pick. Not very nimble but if that is what you were expecting then you bought the wrong car. Tows well and with ease, and absolutely refuses to get stuck. gets a;ot of looks