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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  I LOVE THE ML55 AMG - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ML55 AMG - April 1 - 10:00 am

  NASA SHOULD USE THE AMG MOTOR TO LAUNCH THE SHUTTLE TO OUTER-SPACE!

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  Just Fun !!!!!!! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Gene Lynch - April 1 - 10:00 am

  Easy To Drive, Good Looks, Swiftness And Easey To Handel on road And City Streets. Sweet Car

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  ML350 Disappointment - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Alex Spielhagen - April 1 - 10:00 am

  My new ML 350 now has 1000 miles on the clock. 600 of those miles came from traveling to the dealer to have the " check engine" trouble light checked out. Apparently fuel management system and the emissions control system contains unreliable components.Presently I am waiting for new parts.A factory recall for exchange of power steering hose clamps was installed also. I very much looked forward to driving a Mercedes again. I owned a 230 for 15 years and a 280E for 3 years. They were great cars. Pity that the marque has fallen so much.I am afraid that I will not have any confidence that I can take this truck on a long distance trip.Bloody shame..

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  I Luv my baby! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Lemonpie - April 1 - 10:00 am

  I am so happy with my purchase. I got the 2004 model. This is my first mercedes and i think i will never purchase anything else from now on. I knew that i wanted something in the c- class, but wasnt sure what model. I tested the c240 and it wasnt what i was looking for. It was hard to drive. I step on the gas and it doesnt go, and i step on the brake and it doesnt stop. :( Then, i test drove the c230. What a differeance! Its very easy to control and drives like a japenese car. Not the usual stiff european car. I am very in love with my new baby, and am enjoying every minuete driving it.

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  Perfect Fun - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By coltrain - April 1 - 10:00 am

  This is raw power, neatly packaged in a fun, classy vehicle. The silver and ash combination creates a bright, classic look great for the summer heat. But under this attractive skin is pure power. I dont believe Ive come close to unleashing the complete power of the vehicle. Acceleration, handling passing, etc. are as good as it gets.

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  2500 miles in, so far so good - 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By glayfan40 - April 1 - 3:36 am

  Have been driving the GLK250 since the end of June 13 and have had no major complaints so far. Zero problems (mechanical or electrical) encountered and its simply a solid vehicle overall. Have been averaging 30-31 MPG after 5 fill-ups in 80/20 Hwy/City driving. Thats from my own mileage calculations but frankly the on-board trip computer is not too far off (within 0.5-1MPG accuracy). Im not exactly a lead-foot but I dont drive like a granny either (Im 28 years old). This thing just eats road imperfection for lunch - I live in the NE region so there is plenty of that around. Cant wait to test out the 4Matic performance in the snow in another month or so.

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  Awesome ML! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Evangelist - March 31 - 10:50 pm

  This is my 3rd ML starting with a 2000 ML320, then a 01 ML430 and now this awesome 08 ML350. The advancements in technology, comfort, performance and design are amazing. My ML has almost every option including the Bi-Zenon headlights which are incredible in form and function. Even the power tailgate makes life so much more pleasant. Mercedes began the luxury SUV line and has totally raised the bar with the latest ML350. What an awesome vehicle.

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  Off Road for Many Miles - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Kokopelli Jim - March 31 - 2:33 pm

  We have owned this car for about 60,000 miles, and had an extended warranty through last year. This car has been driven through city and country, with many miles off-road locating petroglyph and Indian ruin sites throughout the Southwestern United States. This is our third Mercedes and we have driven them an aggregate of over 250K miles, so I am somewhat biased toward the three pointed star. All of the suggested service was performed and the additional repairs required have totaled less than $1,000 which included the new platinum plugs at 100K miles. I would buy another one without a second thought.

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  Fun to drive, low reliability - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Ranjeet Gauni - March 31 - 4:20 am

  Reason to buy, was looking to purchase cars from 3-Series BMW, Audi A4, Lincoln MKZ ( German or American). I dont believe in the Asian luxury line of cars - Acura and Lexus, they are just expensive Hondas and Toyotas. Another reason to the buy a German car was that, I have driven MB and BMW ( parents and sibling owned). This car is a very improved C-Class, The 2008 C class was introduced around the time I was looking to buy and hence I test drove the previous C classes ( all different models). This car is a winner in a lot of areas compared to its predecessor.

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  Best value in the brand - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ofcr - March 29 - 11:45 pm

  I am original owner of a Mars Red C230 Kompressor. 65k miles. Stowed properly for winter every year and since purchased. Car gets so many looks, countless people have stopped me to say how beautiful the car is over the years. The power is incredible, especially off the line...sweet gas mileage even when you punch it. Brakes are hands down the best. So far just changed the oil, bled the brakes in the spring, cleaned sunroof track and waxed. NEVER had a quality issue...only infrequent, and very minor issues. Perfect excuse to go to the dealer and absorb the Benzo eye-candy. Love the car, brand, the Nordstrom level of service and features of S-class for a great price