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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  Jenns Benz - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jenn - May 18 - 10:43 pm

  I just traded in the 2004 for the 2005 and I cant even begin to tell you how much more I am impressed. The new design inside and out is beautiful and modern. Handling on the freeways is crisp and precise. I love my new car!

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  The Flagship Coupe - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Chris Thomsen - May 18 - 4:50 am

  The CL65 is the flagship coupe of the CL class from Mercedes Benz. The 6.0 litre V-12 Bi-Turbo engine produces and astonishing 604 hp and 738 ft-lbs of torque. The coupe accelerates from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, making it a true beast in the automotive industry. While the top speed had been electronically-limited to 155 mph, the car would be able to achieve about 200. If you take your head out from under the hood and step back you will find an array of extra modifications. These include an AMG aero-kit which include front and rear bumpers and side skirts. Mercedes was kind enough to add one of the nicest interiors that I have ever seem into this car. A race car and an everday driver, amazing.

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  Nice entry level sports sedan - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By celivdc13 - May 16 - 11:00 pm

  The car has been great and is fun to drive. I wish it had more power (was driving a 6 spd Maxima) especially when the A/C is on. Handling is wonderful and the car loves corners. I only purchased 2 options (CD changer and sunroof package) and have been very pleased. So far the car has had two unscheduled services (sunshade instalation and cold start/computer issue). Annual oil change at dealer was $150. Other than that no surprises to date. If buying again Id wait for the 320 or new 350 (new 2007/8 C-class looks amazing).

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  Better looking than 2009 model - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Bhhm - May 16 - 9:46 am

  Love the car. Got it a week ago and Im most impressed with the power under the hood. Its like taking off in an airplane, you just dont feel the transmission shifting. I took it on a 600 km trip and performed with "flying" colors in the fuel consumption department.

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  Dreamboat - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Benz Driver - May 14 - 7:33 pm

  Not too big, not too small. This car is perfect...

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  RClass gets the nod from this bimmerfile - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By DRW - May 13 - 11:10 pm

  My wife and I love our X5 but with two kids (3 and 4)we were busting at the seams. We drove a Honda minivan first and then the R350 on a whim -- in our view, the R offers 85% of minivan functionality but feels 250% more refined. So, we snaped one up on an manufacturer subsidized lease, (monthly pmts less than a Honda!) and immediately packed up the family for a trip to the NC mountains where we drove 40 miles up and down hills with switchbacks that would have made me sweat even in my BMW 330i. The R inspired confidence and never lost composure even when late braking on decreasing radius turns going down a steep grade! To me, this represents a level of active safety that few can match.

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  Love my C luxury awd - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By 2008 Mercedes-Benz C - May 13 - 5:13 pm

  Had dealer install front of car as in the picture. They did it at no cost to me. Have owned many Benzs in my life and this may rank second to a 1972 280SE that I restored and sold to a private party. Love the new amenities and the overall beauty of this auto.

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  Finest car made at any price - bar none - 1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By landman - May 13 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this car for about 2 1/2 years now and its the finest car ever. Solid car that is extremely fun to drive. The car rockets from 65 MPH to 85 MPH at the press of the accelerator, great for highway cruisin. I have had nothing but regular maintenace costs, no repair bills so far. I would argue that if you like the style of a Mercedes, buy it, it could be the last car you buy for many many years. Besides as for as safety goes you will be keeping you and your family safer in this car than ANY other car at ANY cost. Thats value!!

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  M.B. has lost a customer for life - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By EMILIO - May 13 - 10:00 am

  I had a 99 ML-320 that was so awful the dealer gave me a great deal to get out of it into a 2000 model, which he claimed was much improved. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Among the problems were nagging Check Engine lights that came on every so often, stuttering power locks that sometimes locked and sometimes didnt, a/c which was improperly wired, center arm console which would bubble-up (was replaced three times), a/c compressor blew its fuse every so often (had to travel with spare fuses), expensive brakes that would last only about 20,000 miles, and, of course, the five times in three years the car would not start and had to be towed.

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  Sleeper cell - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By EDBLNKL - May 12 - 11:03 pm

  Nanananana... Ive got one & the rest of the world is jealous. This is the real zoom zoom. Fastest car Ive ever driven. Passengers noice the speed. Steering is as good as an EVO. Acceleration is somewhat violent and obnoxious as is the speed leveling, but still worth the effort & the money.