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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  Fabulous vehicle - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Elyse Ettinger - June 8 - 11:30 pm

  This car is a terrific alternative to the E class wagon I had previously. The interior space could not be better designed or equipped. The ride is similiar to the S class, but the vehicle design is much better for families. My only suggested improvement is the mileage needs to be improved, but otherwise, absolutely no complaints. I have gotten numerous compliments on the exterior design in the few weeks I have had it. Kids are loving the dual screen DVD players, no arguing who gets to pick the movie! The sun roof just goes on and on-very nice!

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  Hoped for More - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By jmcculler - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Its fun to drive but disappointed with the problems I am having. I hit 50,000 miles a few months ago and have had one problem after another; the engine fan completely went, the catalyst converter is coming apart, and the lights (parklights, headlights, tail lights, etc.) must be replaced every other month.

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  Sporty and Luxury together - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mid Life Christmas - June 8 - 10:00 am

  So far, so good. I have most all of the available options. I am not disappointed. The car is fun to drive, excellent handling with luxurious interior.

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  ML350 - Dont touch one! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dutchy01 - June 7 - 12:00 pm

  If you research this vehicle you will find they have problems with the balance shaft and this equals expensive repairs. MB will not admit a problem exists but the blogs show this to be untrue. They have also introduced a replacement (read upgrade) kit to address their non existent problems. My experience has been that a cog on the balance shaft has disintegrated causing much internal damage. The engine had to be removed and parts replaced. 30 hours labour. Can you afford the risk? I currently have 2 MBs but will not touch another one.

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  w203 C350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jk062602kj - June 7 - 7:20 am

  All I can say is this car is amazing. Very fast car and very smooth shifting (7G-Tronic Tranny). This car is a sleeper (dont expect it to be that fast). The sport model came in 7 speed auto and 6 speed manual. The car is able to beat and keep up with very fast cars. Beat - (G35 Sedan, G35 Coupe, 328, 330, ML500, A4). Very fun to drive and pretty rare.

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  MB Makes Strategic Mistake with E Class - 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John Barenson - June 6 - 4:16 pm

  I have been a loyal BM owner for the past 15 years. Aside from owning or leasing MBs we have also had our share of BMW, Audi & Porsche. Needless to say that we are suckers for German Engineering. During this time I can recall that we always had an E class in the household foe us to drive. We currently have a 2015 E350 coupe which we all absolutely love. Upon bringing our vehicle to get service at our local MB dealership we were provided with a 2017 E300 as a loaner for a couple of days. Wow! I do not know where to start. Let me start by saying that the previous generation E class was by far the best MB ever produced. In total we had 4 of these vehicles and never had an issue with any of them. They were still built like mini tanks. Unfortunately, my first impression of the new 2017 E is that it drives like a hybrid. It is a complete and utter travesty to put a 4 cyl engine into this car. Newsflash MB, the E class is not your entry level model. But it gets worse as the vehicle I was provided had only 2k miles on it and parts of the dash were not assembled correctly and still had clear glue residue on the wood and plastic areas. And yes, lots and lots of plastic. The dash and console are very flimsy and have way too much movement when applied minimal pressure. This will be an issue with rattles in the future. The gauges are facing outward instead of inward which posed a problem while driving. Overall, the dashboard does not flow at all. It is 2 gauges with a big screen in the center. Very original. Can say for the rest since I only had the car for a few days but I was sure happy to receive my car back. I am still scratching my head guys. Sure enough sales on this model will be severely impacted by the poor quality of materials, engine choice, and performance. Expect a redesign and engine modification in 2 years.

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  200 SL500 Silver Arrow - last handbuilt - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By rsab - June 6 - 10:00 am

  Ive had this car for almost one year and with 5K miles, not a single problem. From what I understand this is one of the last mostly hand-assembled models of its class. I like the new 2003 style, but my 2002 Silver Arrow is a classic car and I love it.

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  Love my car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bettyrella - June 6 - 10:00 am

  This is the NICEST auto I have ever owned. I have had excellent reliability and have put nearly 40000mi on it in 2 years. I recomend it to everyone I know and I always get a WOW when I open the sky view roof. You cant imagine how awesome an 8 foot sunroof is, or as my husband says "a convertable SUV". I got rear-ended in my ML and the Honda Accord that hit me was totaled at 50mph, and all I had was a scratch...no joke, on my bumper. The other driver said it felt like he hit a brick wall!!! Anyway enjoy the luxury the safety RELIABILITY and pure joy of driving this car, you will never want another!!

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  Best Cabriolet on the Planet! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By A.K. - June 6 - 10:00 am

  I love this car. I only paid about 2000 in options, because almost everything is standard! It actually fitted a 6 guy in the back! Its safety rating is great, too! It never fails on me and its just the kind of cabriolet I like!

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  TestedBMW&Lexus - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By TestedBMW&Lexus - June 6 - 10:00 am

  Made a deposit on BMW 745Li over one year ago. When the new BMW came out I was very impressed with acceleration, handling, and braking, but interior weirdness and exterior styling turned me off so that I passed on my custom ordered car when it arrived. Ive bought four BMWs in the past. Tried Lexus and Mercedes. Bought the Mercedes and love it so far. BMW could have had a great, no wonderful, car but somone overdosed on caffeine when they designed the exterior and the truly crazy overengineered controls. Delighted with the Mercedes.