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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  Tomms E-Class - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tomm Wells - February 4 - 3:56 pm

  This is my 4th Mercedes and the best so far. The increased horsepower is terrific. The 7-Speed Auto Trans allows me to get the same mileage as I did with my 2003 E300. People love riding in my car and always comment on the smooth ride.

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  Amazing Drive - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mani - February 4 - 12:13 am

  I have never gotten into a sedan and had this much fun driving it. This car combines luxury and sporty into the perfect blend. I would have never imagined paying this much for any car I would buy, but it is worth every cent. The 3 suspension settings give great control over your ride. The power is more than I will ever need (Got up to a 100 mph in a few sec. the other day without realizing it.) The fuel economy is pretty bad, but what do you expect from a car of this size with AWD and a V8. The transmission on this car is so smooth that I never know when it shifts gears. Finally, the luxury features are amazing. I highly recommend it, if you want to spend in this price range.

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  King of the SUV world - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Joe Mathai - February 1 - 2:33 am

  My new ML500 is in one word, AWESOME. Its roomy, incredibly fast and stops on a dime. I did have a squeaky, rear hatch latch that was promptly fixed by the dealer. The ML 500 costs less than a smaller, slower BMW X5 which does not offer TeleAid or remote mechanical telemetry, standard on the Benz. I feel safe and secure driving the ML500 which feels just like the S500 in terms of ride quality. Its a true Benz and turns heads everywhere

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  Love My Car - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By sharon - January 31 - 3:10 am

  Ive only driven my car a few times and I am in Love. Its fun to drive, the maneuverability is great, the ride is comfortable, the look turns heads, Ive got a couple of thumbs-up from other drivers. The size is perfect for me. I just turned over my leased ML 350, which I totally loved, I find this easier to drive and more fun. I got the 20" wheels and find the ride just as nice as the 19" wheel, I test drove both, and felt the 20s were great and I think they look better .

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  Still fast and a headturner after 4 yrs. - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Ernest C - January 31 - 2:10 am

  After leasing my 2005 E500, I decided to keep it. And I dont regret it. I love this car! Its black with chrome wheels and gets a lot of attention. I have not had any major problems. Other than the scheduled maintenance, I took it in for an AC glitch. I love the luxury equipments that came standard. From the GPS and satellite to the pulsating seats and xenon headlamps. And this bad boy gets excellent gas mileage. I averaged 29.6 mpg on the highway last month, on a trip to San Francisco. City epa averages around 18- 20 mpg. Ill be keeping this till the next E Class comes out.

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  Love it - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Michael Wolfe - January 31 - 1:01 am

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  The Car I Always Wanted - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SLCFBP - January 30 - 10:36 am

  I bought my first MB, the 350 AWD, fully loaded, in Nov. 2007. I have now driven 6K and nothing about this car has disappointed. I have not had a single problem or needed to take it in other than for the 1K complimentary check. Everything works, everything fits. I for one find the oft critisized Command system just fine though the GPS in my part of world (Southwest) seems to lose mapping capability much more than my wifes GPS in her Highlander. The MB is a dream on the long stretches, has the best soundproofing & a perfect stereo to match of any car I have owned. I have truly found the car of my dreams - I may never change brands again.

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  Best Car in its class - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By PLaw - January 28 - 10:06 pm

  I was trying to decide between the Lexus, BMW. I hadnt really ever considered buying a MB until I test drove the new E550. WOW! This is by far the best driving car in its class. In my opinion, its a significantly better vehicle than the 5-series or the Lexus equivalent. Not to mention the fact that you can get the all wheel drive feature in the E550. Great performance and good in the snow! Perfect for me here in CO. Take one out and drive it. You wont be disappointed.

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  IMPRESSIVE RIDE!!! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Kevin - January 28 - 12:53 pm

  I recently purchased the GLK350 after an exhaustive search for a new vehicle. I researched and drove Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Nissan but none compare to this vehicle. The GLK is comparably priced to a fully optioned Toyota or Honda but much more fun to drive and its not like every other vehicle on the road. I am not sure why others are getting such low gas mileage (driving style???) but I am getting 19-21 in the city as as much as 25 on the highway and I "get on it" from time to time. I didnt get a fully optioned GLK. (no multi media PKG) but im impressed. The ride is very nice and as of yet, no problems, (4000 miles on ODO). Love the looks and the "solid feel". A real hit in my book.

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  Best car I ever owned! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mary Perez - January 28 - 12:00 pm

  This is truly the best car I ever owned. From dealrr lot to home, not a single problem ever! Fun to drive, great handling, excellent in the snow.