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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  Worth the few repairs - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Jerry - October 9 - 7:03 pm

  As a pre- owned, the car was void of service records and up to date service. However, after bringing the maintainence current the car has been great. The thottle positioning sensor needed replacement and minor electical with the top. Other than the usual service, no worries and a pleasure to drive. I now have 75k on this 1999 and have plans of holding on to it

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  Plagued with problems. - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Lou - October 8 - 11:43 pm

  Nice car, purchased it for the Diesel engine and 6 passenger capacity. Overall, experience has been poor during and out of warranty. Engine stopped completely at highway speed on 3 separate occasions. 1st time was fuel pump, second time fuel sending unit and third time was crankshaft sensor. Seems like this model has problems with electrical (replace light bulbs every 2 - 3 months), airmatic suspension goes into error mode. We have spent over 6K$ in repairs since the car has been out of warranty. Unfortunately this is one purchase decision that I regret making.

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  Best car - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Bob - October 8 - 12:56 pm

  I bought an CLS 550 at the end of March 09. In bought it at the Mercedes Benz of Annapolis Maryland, Great dealership. My wife and I drove it home to Chicago. It was the best driving experience I have ever had. I love everything about this car, the styling, comfort, sound system and the gas mileage was 19/27 great!!! This is my first Mercedes and wont be my last.

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  Its all about appearances. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By berwanger1 - October 7 - 10:30 pm

  This is the most beautiful car I have owned...really turns heads. Interior would score equally high but for the use of too much hard, cheap plastic. Handling and power are just okay, hampered by the excessive weight of the car. Problem is, such a striking exterior design and the high price raise expectations of super performance and quality materials. Not the case. Leather is cracking and discoloring. Paint seems thin; chips easily Also, lots of noise coming from under the car, like gears whining, bearings grinding, yet everything is okay. Noise level is unacceptable in car of this rank. Dealer service has been great, but parts are ridiculously expensive. Not a great drive.

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  They Call it Misery - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Benz Boy - October 6 - 1:00 pm

  Beautiful car in design. Thats where the enjoyment ceases. This car is like a beautiful woman with a bad personality and poor morals. Great to look at, but once you touch it your wallet and health go south. Mercedes knew this car was a piece of trash when they built it. My car has 64,548 miles and it has managed to go through two A/C systems, CD player, window electrical problems, brakes, transmission replacement and so forth. Its fun to drive when it finally runs, but its best to keep a good wrecker service on call at all times. Mercedes lied to their customer base and myself about this car. I will never drive another one unless its a vintage 560 sel or 560 sl.

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  CL55? pass - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Dave Brett - October 6 - 10:00 am

  The car is impressive. A blast to drive. 493 hp says it all. It has a problem with the supercharger clutch. The car shutters with a clunk and a loud squeak when the supercharger ingages. It sounds like an old jalopy with a bad trans. Brought it back for repairs and was handed a bulletin from MBUSA that stated, "this motor-specific noise is state of the art. At best, replacement of these parts leads to a temporary solution of the problem and customer dissatisfaction will increase." MB can build a brake by wire braking system but cant built a compressor that doesnt sound like a old junker. Stick with Lexus and keep your money in the bank!

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  cool - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Juggluv - October 6 - 10:00 am

  much better than BMW

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  It is good one - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By YZ - October 6 - 10:00 am

  Trade my 00ML320 to 03ML350. Love this car. Had no problem with my ML320. ML350 rides even better, improved lighting, air-conditioning, etc. Best in the class for the price, great off- road capability(beats almost all SUV in snow conditions), nice looking interior.

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  Fun, but - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By john A. - October 6 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed driving this car except for the electronics. Initially, I couldnt even set my clock. The electronics were changed, but now I get lots of false malfunction indicators. My dealer is terrible so next time my $60,000 goes to BMW or Lexus. For the money, I should have more horse power.

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  Not Recommended - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ChicagoScott - October 6 - 3:10 am

  I have had this vehicle in to the service department for jerking transmission problems six times at two different dealerships. They claim it is a known problem and that there is a "software upgrade" coming from MB Corporate. The service experience and the lack of solution makes this my first and last Mercedes purchase. Too bad because we really liked the vehicle. Also, the check coolant light is on constantly. They told us it was an "electrical problem" and didnt fix it. The sunroof will not close unless you hit button two to three times due to a sensor problem.