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:

• 

  My new 04 320clk CAB - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Jonathan Perelman - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Fabulous... Picked it up at a great NJ dealership in Little Silver NJ (Contemporary Motors) The convertiable was picked up during the coldest day of the year so far. I put 4 blisaks snow on the car and it drives fine in the snow. The car is a headturner. I am enjoying the car so much during the winter and can not wait to put the top down during the Spring.

• 

  Fun and fast CLK500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Raymond Lopez - March 19 - 2:00 am

  I traded in my CLK320 for the CLK500 and what a differecne in speed, torque, and handling. The CLK500 is built solid and runs like a dream. As for the comment by another review about an oil dipstick, why? use the computer to check your oil, thats what Mercedes is all about. Nothing beats this car in build, reliability, and interior qualtiy. The Bose system is awesome thanks to the new digital wiring and sound.

• 

  Its hard to beat an s class MB - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By ting - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned a number of S Class MB over a 25 yr span. As much as I love driving my current S430, I must say Im frustrated with the little things that are constantly going wrong. Loud stearing, clock issues, SRS sensors, saggy sunroof cables, etc. But everytime Im in a loaner and return to the wonderful drive and feel of the S class, Im reminded of why I keep buying them. Buy the extended warrenty!!!

• 

  Great Drive - Poor Electronics - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ButtonTex - March 19 - 2:00 am

  The E500 is a fun car to drive and it lives up to all the superlatives. However, the audio, phone, and electronic systems are extremely poor and unreliable. The audio system has a mind of its own, the integrated phone system spent more time in the shop than in use, and false warning indications have been common. As a result, I will never buy another MB.

• 

  E320 4matic - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By leslir - March 19 - 2:00 am

  Great car and amazingly fun to drive. We love the extra interior room without having to drive an SUV. What a nice change after 12 Years of SUVs. Reliable and sticks right to the road even on snow (we have AWD option). This one is a keeper.

• 

  SL55AMG - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Confucius - March 19 - 2:00 am

  This is the best mercedes ever made for public consumption.But I have only driven only 1500 miles.I have driven them all since 1964.

• 

  mercedes SL55 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By toymaker - March 19 - 2:00 am

  The most fun to drive of any car I have owned. Fast and functional. This car has everything.

• 

  First Week Review - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By pkuyken - March 19 - 2:00 am

  After test driving several cars in this class, the C230 was my hands down choice. The visibility for city driving is very good, the car handles well, and as usual, Mercedes packs luxury with safety and sportiness well. I plan to drive this car 100000+ miles, I will update my review annually.

• 

  Once you go Benz, you wont go back - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Abdur Rahman - March 17 - 3:10 pm

  I love this vehicle. Its so strong. Lots of space for 5 people. multi directional seat positioning, steering wheel, etc. Ive purchased it with 61K miles now it has about 95K. Only did oil change. Recently one of the sensors went out due to heavy rain/flood and it cost me about $1400. Mercedes is expensive but you get what you pay for. Very good resale value. Very strong car. At 95K now needs axle job. Other than that never had problem. You also get 800 number for life of your Mercedes.

• 

  Still unbeatable - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MS - March 16 - 7:40 am

  When I bought it back in 1998, the ML was the king of the SUV hill. So hot it was, I waited for 6 months for delivery. After almost 8 years and 140K miles of service, its time for a replacement (mind you the truck is still going strong). The SUV landscape has definitely changed. A lot of new contenders, but no clear winner. You dont see a waiting list for any one of them. The whole SUV class seems to have softened. Where are the low range gears and the body on frame? My little ML has pulled many monster Suburbans out of the mud... in soccer field parking lots! After much searching, Ive decided to buy another ML. A 2005 version, not the new 2006, as its lost the true SUV spirit.