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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  Beauty and power - 2016 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By GreyBeard - September 26 - 1:21 am

  Great smooth ride, the air suspension works. Lots of electronics and features, really too many to comprehend but some are setup you only do once.

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  Review - 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By Ram patla - September 24 - 12:35 pm

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  Sleekest looking sedan on road - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Julian Juster - September 24 - 12:00 pm

  Having recently owned an 03 SL500, an05 CLK55 Cabriolet, and having an 03E320 in the garage, I rate this new model just what I have been dreaming of. Handling, acceleration, interior stereo, rakish looks, and so on! I also owned 2 CL500s and this is such a perfect follow-through.

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  Good Car, But... - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By john kolb - September 24 - 10:36 am

  The AM radio has never worked well. I replaced the CD changer in the trunk after three years and limited use! Interior vanity failed third year. Variuous other little problems that required trips to the dealer like lights, air conditioning and power steering. Thank God for the extended warranty ,but this excluded radio, vanity light, and CD player. My wife loves the ride, I expected a lot more for the money. Im disappointed.

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  GREAT CAR - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By ROBERT - September 24 - 10:00 am

  THIS IS 2002 CLK430 CONVERTIBLE. WHAT A FUN CAR TO DRIVE

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  MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Orlo Dietrich - September 24 - 10:00 am

  First, mine ia a 2001 model. We have had electrical problems,cooling problems, power steering problems, air bag problems, and the car is now at the dealer to have the fuel pump replaced. All in only 18 months! We live in the mountains and the 4 wheel drive system is the worst I have ever used. The worst indictment of all is that MERCEDES does not seem to care.

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  The car spoiled me - 2013 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Blondell - September 24 - 4:56 am

  The car is very good but watch out for service and labor.

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  Great 2nd owner car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By J Hood - September 24 - 12:43 am

  I purchased this car as a certified preowned car with 24000 miles on it. I have read other owners concerns which I assume have all been addressed during the initial ownership. I have had a fantastic experience with an essentially brand new car for the past 4 mos. Definitely a drivers dream but a pleasure to travel in for 3 other passengers. Slightly challenging to get in and out of but a pleasure to own.

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  Quality car! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By TNT - September 24 - 12:26 am

  We bought our GLK 4Matic in July, 2009. I love the way it handles, good quality ride, quiet and comfortable as you would expect with Mercedes Benz. Fuel economy in town with the AC on is about 18 mpg, but we knew that when we purchased the car. The power lift gate is definitely worth it. Leather should be included.We purchased the sport pkg., the multi-media package and the nav. Very happy with all these features. This little suv is a sure "head turner"!

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  A Great Ride for a Family! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By NDavis - September 23 - 2:10 pm

  We purchased this car in August and been thrilled ever since! We are a family with three children and switched from an 2002 Odyssey. I have found that cargo space is adequate for regular shopping and school backpacks, sport equipment, etc. Longer trips are fine with a cargo box on top. The gas mileage that we are getting is phenomenal compared to the 2002 minivan and the car is a blast to drive (certainly in comparison to a minivan :). Safety of the vehicle is great, weve been rear ended on the highway and everyone was fine..the car really absorbed the impact well. Im looking forward to driving this car for a very long time.