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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  Rome wasnt built in a day - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Car Guy - December 24 - 2:00 am

  C32 Wagon is awesome. It powers past everything in its class and handles beautifully.

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  04 C230K Sports Coupe - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Hollas - December 24 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is the best choice in performance sports coupes less than $30K for someone who wants on demand performance with highend creature comforts such as 10 way electric seats, power tilt & telescopic steering wheel, and auto dimming drivers mirrors. I have driven the vehicle for almost 2 months and have found nothing about it I do not continue to like.

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  C230 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Lynn Vincuillo - December 23 - 10:43 pm

  Broken sunroof within 3 days of purchase. Unable to close. Car received with difficulty opening cup rack in consol brought in for repair but, not fixed. Very unstable cup rack. Broken latches on console in 4 months of use prohibiting use of storage boxes. Brake drum rust in 4 months looks awful but Im told by dealership is normal. Cannot move in slightest bit of snow as well as sliding into oncoming traffic in the highway intersection when stopped on incline. I was put in a very frightening situation and personally having the ability to drive every type of vehicle, I must state the cars performance with any unstable surface, is very poor. I am presently looking at a trade-in.

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  Comfort & Joy - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Mtngirl - December 23 - 10:46 am

  I have only had the car for a week but I have a few observations for those who are looking at the 320 CDI. First, it was louder than I thought it would be, coming from a Toyota it is an adjustment. Second, the shifting is not as smooth as I remember when I test drove but not bad. Having said that, I think the car is superb. The mileage is pretty good, I have been getting between 19 - 22 in the city so far. The interior is unbelievable, very posh and comfortable. The controls are very intuitive which is nice. Put everything on auto and it does the rest. Rear cameras should be standard on all SUVs, what a great feature! All around great vehicle.

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  Why drive 55? - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By fourriders - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Ill tell you why, because it flat out blows the doors off of everything offered by BMW, and most of the other pseudo-sports cars out there. Perfect handling, face pulling acceleration, drop dead looks, put this car in a class all its own. Seats conform to your shape by controlled air bladder, leather is of the finest quality. This car can quickly move from being an in your face - burn the tires off street racer, to becoming the very essence of a sophisticated elegant example of what a fine automobile should look and handle like.

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  Great Alternative To SUVs - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dave in Indy - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Growing tired of SUVs, we looked at a number of wagons (BMW, VW, Audi, Volvo, & MB) before deciding on the C-320 Sport Wagon. The engine is very strong. Fit & finish is typically perfect Mercedes. The car has a slightly heavy feel during cornering, but there is very little body lean and NO noise from the body or chassis. The dash display is a little clunky, not matching the simple elegance of the rest of the interior. And the Bose stereo is pathetic at reproducing the lower frequencies. Shockingly pathetic. Still a VERY nice car. Give it a try, ... youll probably love it.

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  Betters BMWs hatchback in every way - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By dmichael - December 23 - 10:00 am

  This is what most 4 cylinder cars lack and this car despite is hefty weight can really pull you along in almost any gear. The thing you will notice most on first drive is the tourque in every gear, and the ride comfort and quiet cabin. It soaks up the bumps (even with the 17 inch wheels) and if you really want to blast through a turn it will grip it and rip it with the some of the best cars I have ever driven. Very good combination of relaxed ride and balls out handling. My car has been very reliable too. Only little annoyances to report after 5 months of ownership. Enjoy the ride!

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  Beautiful Car! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By EBolgiano - December 22 - 1:56 pm

  This is my first Mercedes and it is everything I had expected and then some. The car is a pure pleasure to drive, fuel mileage is great, interior is comfortable, and the straight 6 cast iron engine should last for many miles.

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  MB Experience - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By PittsburghMB - December 22 - 9:16 am

  I have owned this ML350 for over 3 years. I have had no problems and the car has been fun to drive. The cargo space is great. I would recomend the ML if you are in the SUV market.

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  Solid - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bi - December 20 - 8:10 pm

  Very solid mechanics and luxury features. Terrific pick up and passing abilities. Truly quiet ride. CR blew the call on this one.