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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  Mechanical piece of junk - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Suku - November 25 - 10:00 am

  My ML320 model 2001 is a shame to the SUV market. I had to take it back for warranty works 11 times in 3 years. Power switch console broke and replaced 3 times. Front windows jammed twice. Rear hatch door rattle fixed twice. Stalling still a problem after two services. Battery died every year. Power door locks broke three times. It is a junk. I wont buy another mercedes ever. Wrote to Mercedes several times. There was not response in the last three years.

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  All I Could Ever Want - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By SB22 - November 25 - 10:00 am

  I spent five hours at the Audi dealership haggling and became so upset I called up Mercedes and they had me in the car of my dreams in an hour and a half. I didnt expect my first car to be manual living in LA but I love it. Its so quiet and corners better than an A4 (also has 20 more horsepower). Chose the car over IS300, 325i and A4 and have no regrets. It has a very sporty yet distinctive look. Love the four door sedan with the feel of a coupe.

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  Great Car CL 600. Truely a flagship. - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Sherif Tewfik - November 24 - 7:36 pm

  This CL 600 is the most recent mercedes I have acquired. Traded in an E55 for it. They are very different cars, but both are extremely quick. The CL 600 truely lives up to the designation of the flagship of the Mercedes line up. The finish and workmanship are on par with any S class sedan.

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  Great car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John - November 24 - 1:50 am

  Lease was up on ML500 and I wanted something with space and fuel economy. With fold down rear seat and large trunk this was the car. I have averaged right at 30mpg and it drives great. Very quiet. Much quieter than my wifes 2005 Audi A8.

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  Better than I ever hoped for - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By susan - November 23 - 8:46 am

  I turned in a ML320 for this car and was worried about driving in New England in the winter, but I was pleasantly surprised. This vehicle got me through a terrible storm - plows had not gotten out yet and there was well over 6 inches of snow on the ground and more coming down - with the utmost stability. I dont understand the complaints about front seat comfort. I drive from the Hartford CT area to the Mid Hudson Valley weekly, and commute 25 miles to work each day, and find the car to be extremely comfortable.

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  Software has bugs - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Pliu - November 23 - 2:00 am

  Car is great, but engine makes noise (malfuntion, they order the parts already), error msg come on seveal times because the software bugs. Looks great, drive great, keyless-go is a great feature and a must. Sport package has stiffness adjustment is also a very good feature for a sports car fan.

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  The powerful ML320 Bluetec - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By The environmentalist - November 22 - 7:30 pm

  Since I do a lot of highway driving, at times in bad weather conditions, I feel I need a SUV. This MB beat my previous luxury Japanese SUV hands down, in terms of ride, braking, offroad (something the previous SUV just couldnt handle)and mileage. It sure cost more but the extra cost is worth it. Mileage is very good and one cant tell that its a diesel engine. Using the cruise control significantly enhances mileage on highways. The transmission and engine deliver power smoothly. Diesel engines beat out hybrids when hauling heavy stuff and the ML320 has class-leading towing capacity. So far, no problems with reliability. Looks like MB has fixed the problems of the previous generation.

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  1994 500SL Hard and Convert - 1994 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Dr. Molar - November 22 - 5:40 pm

  Bought the car 6 years old. Upgraded to AMG 15" wheels and $800/rim alloy 3 piece. Low profile tires. This car is a dream. Very quiet with hard top off and can hear all Bose system. Corners like my Porsche did. Great service when needed.(not one major part in 5 yrs). Have spinal problems and yet can drive all day. Lot of punch. Best of 5 Mercedes I have owned. Others were sedans. Love the lines of this vintage. It is why I looked 3 years till the right one appeared. Take care of it and it takes care of you. 6 miles of gravel road/day and not one squeak yet. Cant say that for other brands I own for seconds. Stored in winter so no comment on winter handling.

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  Dont let the star fool you! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mikegh323 - November 21 - 2:40 pm

  This car is very overrated, and not reliable. Exterior paint is substanderd for MB product. I find that the paint chips easily and faded prematurly. The engine is very noisy and unrefined. The supercharger needs more psi boost. The climate control system is confusing and doent work well after a few years. The rims are undersized and the lug nuts rusted after a year. The electrical system seems below realiablity for a MB. Maintenance is overly expensive. Most repairs occure after the warenty and are usually in the thousands. Resale value is very low. 12k as of today. A lot of buyers remorse on this purchase!

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  nice - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By sheemy - November 21 - 10:00 am

  this is actually my favorite car now. i think many people love this car to as much as i do. it is nice comfortable and worth it.