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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  a real blast from the past - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By bg516 - November 4 - 10:00 am

  this car is not only great to drive and does everything well, but i have the 430 clk cab. and it moves out like a muscle car. a real blast form the past with all the features we want today. worth owning this one.

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  Smooth and Quiet - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Terry Denisco - November 4 - 12:23 am

  Smooth and quiet was my objective in a luxury car due to hearing problems and headaches caused by a fun but loud and harsh sports car. Fotrunately I found what I needed. I would ordinarily not consider a six cylinder, good power and performance with a smooth ride engine, but I tried the E350 and was very pleasantly surprised. In town economy is outstanding.

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  Best Car for the Money - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By SJG - November 4 - 12:20 am

  Sleek lines, a real head turner on the streets. It has every ammenity in an entry level S class you will ever need. I recommend getting the sport package for that extra curb appeal ( and resale value ). Just a sweet car, inside and out!!

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  Great Car Twelve Years Later - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By prmx - November 1 - 7:00 pm

  Bought my 2000 E-320 with 150K miles on it..and it was virtually perfect in all respects. Ran and rode great from day one. Paid $7K "out-the-door" and Edmunds says a dealer "should" charge about $5000 for a similar car, but I have seen most, in very good condition, upwards of $9K, so I feel what I paid was a moderate "deal". Car run very well...Zero service issues excepting a driving light wiring harness, $150 repair by MB. When I purchased had three outstanding recalls...all fairly "cosmetic" (rubber door seal replacement, etc.) and MB dealer did without any cost. "Problems" with paint chips, CD changer, air flow sensors, ac failures others have reported are non-existant on this car.

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  2004 CLK 500 Cabriolet - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By clontz - October 31 - 10:00 am

  The most fun, responsive car Ive driven. Have had no problems with vehicle since purchase. Only problem, it has only one small, short cup holder up front, otherwise, I love it!

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  Newly Satisfied MB owner - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JMPnCLM - October 31 - 10:00 am

  I drive MB on business in Europe. Bought one of my own and love the car. Comfortable at speed, both here and on the Autobahn, and handling both at speed on interstate and in my favorite hairpins, is exceptional.

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  Little Benny Coup - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Doug - October 31 - 7:23 am

  One owner, 40 k miles, has never been in the shop except for scheduled maintenance. Not too many of the V-6 coupes imported, hard to find in USA. Fast, fun to drive and gets great gas mileage.

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  I LOVE MY FIRST CAR! GREAT VEHICLE ! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By alfaking001 - October 30 - 9:26 pm

  This is my first car and it is stunning! The power is great the ride and handling is awesome. The build quality so far is superior we will see how that holds up in a year or so. The dealer gave us an excellent bargin and the service was spectacular. The transmission is so smooth. The interior is great nice restrained use of over the top materials it is a very nice balance of luxury and sport but..for my taste could be a little more luxurious. fuel economy is good . just filled it up and took a road trip averaged 31.2 MGP!!!!!!!! worst was 21.3 mpg and average with mostly city driving and occasional highway driving i get between 24-25 mpg overall and very well done and highly recommend it !

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  ML550 - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By nelson - October 30 - 10:33 am

  I bought this car 11/29/08 with 10 miles.This is the best car I have driven to date. The ride is smooth, excellent for long trips. Control and nav are relatively easy to use, not complex as some indicated. This is my first MB. I have 1200 miles on it so far so its too early to assess its reliability. I absolutely love this car so far.

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  S 600 coupe is just okay, - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Jeff West - October 30 - 7:53 am

  i love the attention that i get when driving this car, and i like takeing it on the highway for long cruises at around 80 MPH, people with sport cars feel threatened when they see the V12 sign,,, they try to race, this car blows away most of them,