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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  Outstanding Vehicle - 2012 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bobr007 - October 18 - 11:30 am

  Traded in the GLK350 for this ML350. Although the GLK was a great vehicle, the ML affords me more space and is much more comfortable. Cant say enough about this vehicle and recommend it to anyone who wants a comfortable SUV. For those who worry about fuel consumption, averaging 24 MPG in mixed driving and expect to do better. Very quite inside and very classy inside and out. Try it, youll like it!!

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  Love the Diesel - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Last diesel in PA - October 17 - 2:13 pm

  Wouldnt have gotten it except for the diesel - great mileage, quiet and plenty of torque for running around town or passing on the highway. Just took three teenagers to an amusement park 2 hours away and car was a pleasure to drive and everyone had gobs of room.

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  excellent - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dennis holliday - October 17 - 10:00 am

  Great car,Great to drive, Great in snow,Great gas mi.Good power,Fun to drive

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  Good Value and Safety - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Markrec25 - October 17 - 10:00 am

  This is a stylish and fun car to drive. With 8,000 miles on the odometer, the vehicle has been less than perfectly reliable. It seems the problems are very minor but annoying including the High Beam Switch, Radio, Seat Controls and ABS Sensors.

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  CLK430-The Premium Coupe to Own - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By SoCalCLK - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Let me go on record by saying that I have owned a 95 BMW M3 and 01 330ci & these editors dont know what theyre talking about. After having owned 2 BMWs, I saw BMW was closer to an Acura than a Mercedes. When I left BMW behind and bought a CLK 430 I saw has the power, features, looks, handling, and quality that as a WHOLE make it cut above ANY coupe from BMW. These editors do not understand this as they have never personally owned these cars. When I test drove and priced out that Honda Civic Look alike- the 330ci, I was shocked to see that they were charging $42K for a $34K car. Audi makes a better product called the S4 at these prices.

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  Worst time for Mercedes? - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By freddys555 - October 16 - 10:59 pm

  I regret to say that this was the worst Mercedes I have ever owned. It seemed that something went wrong with it every other week. The digital read-outs on main display failed causing to lose the ability to use particular options, HVAC system completely failed and needed total replacement, window regulator failures, side mirror motor failures, seat heater failures, seat adjustment motor failure, trunk release failure, fluid leaks, engine mounts needed replacement (@ 60K miles!), and many more malfunctions. Despite this being Mercedes, nobody should be experiencing this many problems with a car costing this much. It is by far the worst car I have ever owned.

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  First Car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By automaniac9 - October 16 - 7:22 pm

  This car is an amazing piece of machinery and is the last year of the reliable Mercedes. This car having a 4.3 liter V8 just made the car a sleeper, especially considering that it had no badging anywhere. The transmission shifts almost seemlessly. It has great power and good handling, but this particular car stood out from the pack because of the real Brabus exhaust, and the replica Brabus 19" wheels. The car sounds fantastic and it isnt overly loud. The interior of this car doesnt have the flare of Mercedes of old, but its simple and functional, and thats all you should need. The exterior is much like the interior, simple but nice to look at, especially in the white color mine was in.

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  5 weeks and going strong - 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By cars0153 - October 16 - 7:28 am

  Dont pay any attention to the negatives for this car. Its a typical Mercedes. Well thought out design and great to drive with great looks. I was able to order car exactly the way I wanted it. Still learning all the technology in car. What amazed me was the gas mileage going down to a business trip. 37 MPH with cruise set at 75 and actually was not all highway. Dont bypass this car.

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  Love My CLK - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By wwc6980 - October 16 - 2:26 am

  I love my CLK500 convertible. It is drop dead good looking, very comfortable, handles wonderfully and has superb power. The interior is gorgeous, with stone colored leather, and the instrument panel is easy to read. The stereo sounds great and the top retracts quickly and is completely out of view. The cabin noise is far less than any of the four convertibles I have owned and is, in fact, lower than many sedans.

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  extremeC350 - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By scion12 - October 15 - 1:16 pm

  I have been a BMW owner since 1979. traded in a 2003, 325i with160k miles for the benz. I tried very hard to buy another 3 series BMW, but they were no match to the C350. The c350 is a 302hp direct fuel injection super car with AMG suspension, never ending torque, smooth shifting 7 speed transmission is as good as stick shift. HID lighting is super, dont buy car without it, the harmon cardon logic 7 has incredible sound. I bouth the car in November 2011, have 10k on it, have had no issues. I you live in Northern Virginia go see MB of Arlington, have never dealt with a better dealer.