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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  TOO MANY PROBLEMS - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By bht - February 4 - 7:43 pm

  COMAND SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPLACED 3X.STILL NOT WORKING.PHONE BROKEN TWICE.VERY EXPENSIVE TO SERVICE.EATS BRAKES AND TIRES.WAAAAAAAAY TOO EXPENSIVE FOR WHAT YOU GET.A $70,000 CAR SHOULD BE MUCH BETTER.BIG MISTAKE DOWNSIZING THIS CAR.I WILL NOT BUY MB AGAIN

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  AMG road trip - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By John Benz - February 3 - 11:30 am

  I recently purchased a pre-owned low mileage 2005 SL55 AMG, and to get it home I had to make an 1800 mile run across the country. What a wonderful trip! I found the car quiet and comfortable with exceptional road manners. Never a tired leg or back muscle after a long day on the road. If you like, the 55 is an amazing performance car, or if you want to take it easy and enjoy the luxury features, itll do that too. Both worlds are extreme in this super car, and it never fails to get lots of attention wherever you go. Styling and performance are second to none. Maybe more bells and whistles than I really need, but Im still learning to appreciate them. Easily the greatest car Ive ever driven.

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  Awesome!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Magic - February 3 - 10:00 am

  What a sweet ride!! I love this car. It is fast and good looking. It handles like a dream. It is hard not to go on a highway and see what the top speed is. As fast as I go, the car always seems to want to go faster. The only complaint is a slight rattle noise that seems to be coming from the drivers side door at low speeds. It doesnt do it all the time which makes it a diagnostic nightmare. Other than that, I love the car.

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  Incredible Car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By blando - February 3 - 10:00 am

  So much can be said about this model. Mercedes/AMG has struck the perfect balance and created a classy performance machine that can be driven everyday as your daily driver while also capable at any moment, and without hesitation, of mixing it up with almost anything out there.

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  Tires, brakes and dash - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Marty Cohan - February 3 - 12:30 am

  Brakes have squealed since first service. At 19,000 miles I am on my third set of Michelin Pilot sports at =/-$300 each. Dash electric went out in first 6,000 miles and dealer replaced under warranty. Dealer also performed a full alignment on them after second set of tires wore out.

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  7 Years and no troubles - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Spoiled Rich Boy - February 2 - 6:30 pm

  I adore my Mercedes. Bought it late 2001 till now, 2008, 7 years and the biggest thing done to it are new tires, besides that, completely reliable! It was a S430V (apparently according to the salesman its better in some ways) with some lovely upgrades (bi-xenon headlights & washers, Nappa leather, wood & leather steering wheel and shift gate). The transmission is still silky smooth, and the air suspension has not failed once. The engine is not the most powerful but still quite nippy. In general; reliable, comfortable, and I absolutely adore it. Mercs dealer network is very friendly and helpful (at least at my dealer), but they charge you for every single little thing!

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  Niko - 1999 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Natureboy - February 1 - 8:00 pm

  This is by far the best car I have ever owned. Realiable, solid, powerful, luxurious, and safe. Great on long trips. Feels like an SUV. Acceleration is amazing for the kind of weight it carries. We love it so much we even named it "Niko." Instead of buying an entirely new car, I have opted to get new tires and rims. It already has a brand new steering wheel with wood trim, wood shifter, and chocolate brown leather mats.

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  leave em in the dust - 1994 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By steve maugeri - January 31 - 10:00 am

  I have been in the car biz for twenty years, i have driven all of them,but this one takes the cake.it just wants to run. I love it!!

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  2008 gl450 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By DAWN - January 31 - 6:30 am

  I am a previous LX470 owner and I have to say there really is no SUV that compares to this car for comfort and the ride and the third row seating. I cant wait to get in my car every day and drive it! Although the nav doesnt compare to Lexus ease of use and the DVD is in a weird location for usage. I also did not realize that the non-leather seats are a bit sticky in the heat due to the fact of no ac in them. The ac works great and the stereo is better than my Lexus. The windshield wiper controls are hidden and hard to see. I kept hitting the cruise control for the first month, now I am used to it. I have never had a Mercedes so all the controls take some getting used to.

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  Save Your Money - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Garfield - January 30 - 6:50 pm

  Bought the ML 320 because of the name. However I donated the car today because you look pretty stupid sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck to flatbed your SUV away. I had the car regularly serviced whenever the wrenches appear on the dash. App cost each time $400 - $800. Service was great until mileage got to around 80K. They tried to get me to buy a new car and when I balked problems began. I wont outline but I spent more than $6000 in repairs during the last 6 months trying to save the car and avoid a new car payment. Save yourself the hassle and buy a Toyota. I donated my ML 320 to charity so at least something good came out of it.