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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  Im all smiles - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Steve Y. - August 9 - 1:03 am

  I waited 4 months for this car but it was worth it. I love this car. It drives so smoothly. Its so soothing especially when I have my Diana Krall CD playing (oops, you can guess my age). I got the keyless go option. Its the best feature of the car. Never have to whip out the key from my pocket. I dont think I will buy another car without keyless go. Its so convenient. Also bought the parktronic option which takes away the guess work during parallel parking. This car is truly a joy to drive. Im all smiles whenever Im behind the wheel.

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  Recommended - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JPM - August 8 - 5:26 pm

  Had BMWs previously -- M3s, etc. This car is more comfortable but still fast and fun to drive. Ride is firm yet very comfortable.

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  Bluetec Heaven ! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DerekS - August 7 - 5:46 am

  Having previously driven various BMW and MB models over the past 20+ years, my 2008 Bluetec is the best yet. The astounding torque has to be experienced to be believed. Passing performance is rocket-like. Trips to gas stations have become far fewer. All of the wonderful features of the E Class are combined with the superb V6 diesel. Why would anyone looking to buy an new E Class (or a similar luxury sedan) not consider the amazing E320 Bluetec ?? If V8 power combined with 4 cylinder fuel economy doesnt make sense, then what does ?

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  IG Review of my CLK Cabriolet - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Ira Goodman - August 6 - 10:00 am

  The Mercedes CLK Cabriolet is certainly one of the classier, good looking and eye-catching cars on the road. It is also one of the best values. With Mercedes high quality engineering and most of the amenities you could want it is a great car and a great buy. Its not cheap but it rides and sells with reliability. Its pretty close to perfect, but not quite there- no rear cup holders and an unsightly radio antenna.

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  Sexy Beast - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By AMGNUZI - August 6 - 10:00 am

  The ML55 AMG is a "Sexy Beast". It is faster than 90%of the cars on the road. Its a fuel hunger SUV; But What would you expect for a 342 HP SUV? Its a rocket launcher! I love everything about my silver bullet.

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  Classy, yet practical car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By fulltimemom - August 5 - 7:20 pm

  This has been a beautiful, yet practical car for our family. It holds our family of four plus 3 friends. Our family loves to ride in it, yet it is a classy car to take out on the town in the evening. The third row seat is roomy enough to accomodate adults. The engine has excellent climbing power which is very useful in our hilly surroundings. Excellent safety rating.

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  Absolutely Gorgeous, 2nd to none - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Thuc - August 5 - 1:10 am

  This car is probably one of the best looking cars on the road. It is a perfect blend of luxury and sportiness. It drives effortlessly, though maintains solid grip of the road. I had the previous generation model before, and the current model has a much stiffer suspension and tighter handling. The cars beauty makes a strong statement of style and is in a class of its own.

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  Great car but w/typical euro bugs - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By vadersv8 - August 4 - 7:11 pm

  Ive had this car for about 3 mos and bought it used with 78k and so far its been a decent car. My gripe is mainly the lil buggy issues. 1. Driver side front parking lamp went out, now its working again. 2. Instrument cluster stopped working however the center digital center gauge is working fine and the dash lights still work. In other words, all the needles are at 0. Its an excellend drive and its pretty quiet on the road/freeway but Mercedes is suppose to be a well made automobile, but with little annoying things like this coming up it could potentially make the driver not want to purchase this brand of car again. Ps: This car has automatic trans.

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  Nice to look at, thats where it ends - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By dan - August 2 - 11:23 pm

  So far it has been in service more than on the road . If you purchase this vehicle, be prepared for tears in the roof liner around the rear window. Also be prepared for a rough idle no matter what they do. Bad gas mileage . Overall fair build quality

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  My Lemon - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jo - August 1 - 11:03 pm

  I always heard Mercedes was a well made car, but then I got mine. My car goes into the shop every month for something. After 3000 miles my a/c leaked out all over inside my car. My last straw was when my car handle broke off after being in the shop for a month. Mercedes is willing to fix the problems but not do anything else. I find this VERY wrong for such a big car company. AND THEY also stated every year you own the car the value reduces $5000 to $7000 because they tried to give my $20000 for a year old bought brand new car.