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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  Fluid and fun - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By My first Mercedes - July 20 - 2:36 pm

  Quality, size, fast, and fun, the list could go on. I wanted a large SUV and ended up comparing Navigator, Escalade and the GL. In my opinion, there is no contest.

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  The Early Review - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By mbrfan - July 19 - 2:16 pm

  I have watched MB develop the R from the GST concept several years ago and owning one has been rewarding. Solid drive, comfortable but sport feel, large interior room but nimble. The 268 HP and associated torque are fine, making the R500 extra 30+ HP and additonal torque unnecessary - in my mind. The dash "menu" displays are very weak and must be improved. They work but are weak. The Nav system is dated both in use and POIs; The MB Tex in rows 2 & 3 isnt close to best in class. The American market will take a few years to adopt the R - or not. I like wagons so this is great but not everyone will endear themselves to the R. MB will figure out the content vs price in MY 06/07.

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  Good things happen to good people - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By The Man - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car sight unseen and it is everything I had imagined. It rides like a dream and is really fun to drive. It does feel a little light compared to my XJR. It is truly a dream come true!!!

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  Good things happen to good people - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By The man - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car sight unseen and it is everything I had imagined. It rides like a dream and is really fun to drive. It does feel a little light compared to my XJR. It is truly a dream come true!!!

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  hippo on the road - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By svenkat - July 19 - 10:00 am

  the new e class is a hippo with the eyes of an eagle, legs of a cheetah, looks of a lion,sturdiness of a rhino, pulling power of a tusker, strike of a rattler

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  Awesome Power and Looks - 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Robert H - July 18 - 4:49 pm

  Amazing performance, sound, and looks. Not the mileage or rear seat room for a family touring vehicle but excellent around town runner. Front driver and passenger room and comfort is excellent. This SUV is like no other and draws a lot of attention wherever you drive it.

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  One of the most fun cars to drive - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By David - July 18 - 3:03 pm

  Great balance between speed/sports car and luxury. Wicked fast when you want it. Super soft for cruising (highway driving is great - not like a big sedan but much smoother than similar speed sports cars). Four adults OK but a little tight. Great choice for sports car with the occational need for four adults.

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  Best sedan ever! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Homer - July 18 - 12:00 pm

  I got this car six weeks ago, and it has been the best car I drive so far. I traded it in for a C-230 and theres a lot of difference between them. I got it black on black, and it looks clean, a lot of people had told me "that car looks beautiful" and I really think so.

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  Panzer - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ME - July 17 - 6:36 pm

  The CDI has become r fave car vs 300 hp CLK V8 coupe and ML SUV Roomy, comfortable almost 2 ton panzer should be safer in collision as mass & room inside to decelerate vitals before contacting int. surfaces. Get heated seats - great for sore back & xenons really lite your way. Trip computer reads 32.0 mpg 4 the last 16457 miles! I never reset it, but they do reset at the various required MB services (battery disconnected?) Torque is incredible, this is a 5 sp auto with inline 6 turbo, a bit of lag, but u get used to it. If you are looking for a diesel for your own homemade biofuel, get inline 6 as unlike the new V6 diesel (2007 and up) the MB mech says inline can run on it with mods. Has been very reliable

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  Great car ..But..... - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mhtartaro - July 16 - 2:07 pm

  Ive owned the 2009 C300 4matic since august of 2011. My certified warranty ran out at the end of August 2013. I took my car in for routine maintenance for a transmission flush. Just 3 months later my transmission is making a weird grinding noise, at first I thought it was coming from my front wheel bearings but after inspection from the dealership it turns out its the bearings in my transmission! I was shocked to hear that I needed to replace my transmission at 83K! I purchased a Mercedes hoping I would get many thousand miles from it! I take very good care of my cars . Not sure I will buy another benz! Otherwise I loved the car ...beautiful car