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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  97 e320 awsome car - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By joey - July 12 - 2:26 am

  This is a Nice car and fun to drive I have had it for 3 years and abuse it on cornering and accelerating. Engine and suspension have not failed! Of course their are some repairs, water pump fuel pump and minor things that might be expensive.. But this is not a car for the poor. I love this car and I installed a turbo and engine has not failed at 190,000 miles... Its not what the car is worth if you love the car their is no price.

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  Speed, smooth, solid nickle & dimer - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Mr. T - July 11 - 2:23 pm

  Shes a highway machine. Silky smooth accelleration. She holds the road like an autobahn purebread. The engine rules, except for those pesky oil journals (nice job designer guys). When the miles start to rack up, the strangest things start to go out on it. Air coditioner wierdness, transmission gremlins (limp home mode?!) leave you and the dealership scratching your head as to whats wrong (computer diagnostics?!). The heaviness of the car eats suspension and brake parts. On a positive note, if you can find a mechanic who can identify and fix the little strange things that will happen to this car, it will last forever!

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  Call the dealer again! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By adydoo - July 10 - 6:46 am

  This vehicle is very comfortable. The navigation system could be improved a bit.Its difficult to enter information at times. In my first year I had to take it to the dealer 2 times, and now working on my third, for things like dying battery, non-operable cd changer and now the moon roof squeaks bad and does not always want to close all the way. I have not had any mechanical problems only small issues so it is all good. Some of the issues have been a hassle but I would and probably will buy another ML.

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  Fantastic drive, some early problems - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By levinerich2@aol.com - July 10 - 5:06 am

  Best driving, handling, quietest, smoothest MB S class ever. Stereo is superb. COMAND functions simplified, still a learning curve. My car was sent back to dealership twice in first 3 weeks because engine stopped abruptly while on highway. Fuel sensors were defective. This, along with a vibration on the rear deck. Otherwise, car is perfect. Interior finish far better than prior models; engine power rivals my Porsche. Very happy I bought this one, but if you are a stickler for reliability, buy a Lexus instead.

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  Great Looking, Quirky! - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By xxlxlxl - July 8 - 10:00 am

  Ex-BMW owner here. Since day 1. Wind noise at right rear window. Dealership had it for a week and couldnt figure it out. Really. Maybe isolated to just my vehicle, but very frustrating nevertheless! Great looking car, fantastic lines. Tons of comments from random people. Great interior and interior lighting. Decent if a bit bland on the driving attributes. Light but responsive steering. Inexplicable road hum from tires. Smooth hwy ride, substantial feeling, but at low speeds, occasional trouble finding right gear and can feel it. A few unacceptable and irritating squeaks and rattles already. Only have 1100 miles on the darn thing!

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  Bitter Sweet - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By 1942wla - July 4 - 2:00 am

  My love for this car has had its moments. There is no ride like a solid benz. The acceleration and tranny is smooth and the motor is more than adequate to have a little fun. Super quiet ride and hard to believe it gets more than 22 mpg. The downside is it is over engineered. I spent a great deal of time and money combating the dummy lights. As I have 155k miles on my 420, these cars will run forever but be prepared to pay for it after 120k miles.

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  Fast, Sexy, and Fun - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By TXCLK55 - June 29 - 4:43 am

  Purchased the CLK55 as a Certified Pre-Owned with 18K miles already on it. Timeless looks make everyone mistake this for a new car. It has gotten nothing but praise from my friends, neighbors and co-workers when they see it. The lack of pillars between front and rear windows allows for amazing visibility. Turning off the ESP allows for a little fun and lets you turn out the rear if you so desire. Driving this car is pure enjoyment. Rear seat is tight but can fit an reasonable size adult. For half the price of a new CLK Im completely happy with my purchase. Averaging about 18mpg but can get 20 if I take it easy. If youre buying this car you shouldnt be worrying about price of gas.

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  Great used car with low entry for a classy brand - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Lee Chambliss - June 27 - 12:08 pm

  I bought my 2010 C300 used. I had driven maybe 10 different examples over several months. I had done copious research. What I found was the C. class overall 2008-present are very sturdy and reliable cars. I was a little uncomfortable with the lower mpg, but I have found on longer trips I can get in the 30s, which is OK with me. And in town is in the high teens (18-19) which is also ok. With my old car I had gotten 21 and 33. But it was a Saab turbo (the fun model engine) and repairs had finally gotten the better of me. So I found this 300, looked like mint condition, 61k miles, nav, memory seats, basically everything youd want. Its been a great car, no problems at all. One thing to consider is the audio. The cars dont come with streaming bluetooth. But there are low cost options to connect all sorts of music and files in all sorts of ways. I got a PCMCIA card for the dash slot, with 32gb drive, an auxiliary for the glove box media interface, and a Bluetooth device that connects with zero effort to the media interface. And if you are waiting for the wife or other , sitting in your car with the nav system you can watch DVD on the nave screen with the video systemusic built in. Its really a cool car, relatively low maintenance, and the ride is rock steady at high speed.

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  E320 at 195,000 miles - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jbnj1 - June 23 - 1:24 pm

  ok at an amazing 195k on the clock this car just never stops amazing me , I bought this car about 1.5 yrs ago and my wife takes this car from nj to Lex va reguraly about 1000 miles round, I have no fear in letteing her do this with this car, I WOULD NEVER let her use any of our other cars ((3) all with less milage) to do this,,, this car gets about 30mpg , stops on a dime with akbono pads , and you can eat a bowl a soup in this car at 100-120mph and yes Ive run this car personaly on I95, I81, and I76 multiple times in the triple digits ,The BEST USED CAR Ive ever owned, this veh gets regular service , and when it was bought i recvd complete records, if you can do so too , buy it

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  Luxurious yes, but its no BMW - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DonnyMac - June 20 - 10:16 am

  We decided we needed seating for 6-7, but didnt want an SUV. That left the E series and the Volvo V70. The E350 is beautiful, well-appointed and comfortable/luxurious. The suspension and steering, however, are softer than they should be, especially if you are used to driving a BMW with sports suspension (or even an Audi). The Volvo V70 R was sportier in power and handling, and had WAY better front seats (the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in, in fact), but was too stark/dark in the cockpit. Probably, upgrading to the E55 Wagon solves the problem, but for $35k more, thats insane. Come on Mercedes, make it handle more like a German driving machine!