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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  My wife loves the ML320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By TerryBaltimore - September 17 - 10:00 am

  This has been a wonderful car for the family. Teenagers and adults like the full back seats. The car has a solid comfortable feel, but does not drive like a truck. Our only problems have been with a gas gauge that doesnt register all the way to full and recently a dashboard light that burnt out for the clock. We also priced that cross country Vovlo at the time but thought this was a better buy.

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  Amazing - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Tim Trachy - September 17 - 10:00 am

  The car is just amazing, very fast, and handles like it is on rails.

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  Not what it used to be, but still good. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Rahib - September 17 - 10:00 am

  The qauilty of these cars is still great; and you are still getting a great car. Although Mercedes has been on a downward slide as far as quality-- they are still better than 95% of all other cars. BMW continues to narrow the gap when it comes to looks--and will probably close that gap, come the 2004 5-series. I plan on keeping my 2003 E-Class until the 2005 5-series comes out (that way all the first year troubles will be worked out). I would not call Mercedes cheap, or attack them the same way the other reviewer did--however I do undertand where hes coming from. BMW is on the up, while Mercedes is on the down...who would u choose?

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  C300 Luxury - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By FL LADY - September 17 - 12:26 am

  Picked it up at the factory in Germany and drove it around Europe on the autobahn and back count ry roads. Fun to drive and very responsive on the short on and off-ramps of Europe. Did not get many add-ons (P 1 package only), but it is great. I love my car! Found that the folding mirrors were a godsend in medieval towns where a few streets were unbelievably narrow. The bellhops in every town loved the arctic white--most cars of that model in Europe were black, grey or silver--and I really like the Savannah/cashmere interior. Get the all weather mats though. Could see that the carpet would get dirty rather quickly without them. Especially love the steering.

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  has no value - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rob - September 16 - 1:00 pm

  The 1998 Mercedes-Benz C230 Sedan requires high test fuel yet has no power to speak of. Its gas milage stinks for such a small car. It is not very comfortable or roomy on the inside. This car would have been an OK choice for a single person. Its resale and trade-in values are terrible. If I would have done appropriate research beforehand and known all of these things I would have NEVER of purchased this car. It is surprisingly bad for one of the alledged higher end vehicles.

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  German Engineering - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By h keilo - September 16 - 12:45 pm

  Excellent Car, luxury with lots of power and reliability.

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  German Engineering - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By h keilo - September 16 - 12:45 pm

  Excellent Car, luxury with lots of power and reliability.

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  E430 Sport - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mike Fruin - September 13 - 10:00 am

  Purchased this vehicle as a pre-owned replacement for my 1999 E430...much more car than the Audi A6 or BMW 5 series, both of which were considerations at the time. The 8 cylinder engine, sport suspension, and auto-stick transmission is awesome. A few too many electronics possibly, but a dream to drive none the less.

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  Mercedes C230 Great Car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By MR. MOORE - September 12 - 12:23 pm

  I tried the Infiniti G35, Lexus ES 330, BMW 330i and the Jaguar X series. The Mercedes has a comfortable ride as if you are on a cloud. The build quality? Of course, Mercedes quality all the way! The car is very exciting and very fast. I have put over 10,000 miles on the car . No transmission problems like Lexus and no warranty issues like Infiniti. The car has a Mercedes-Benz S series feel and look to it. My friend bought the Lexus brand and now has traded it in for a Honda. I am thankful to God I chose the Mercedes over all the other vehicles

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  Great SUV and MPG - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gemesq - September 12 - 8:23 am

  I am not sure why this SUV is listed as 16 mpg. I regularly get 22-24 miles per gallon on the freeway and around 18 mpg in town. For an SUV, you cant ask for better. We bought this SUV used and have loved it ever since. I coveted this new model when it came out in 2006 and wanted one then. This is a safe, fun to drive SUV with all the necessary luxury items a driver could want. I agree with other reviewers that it seems louder on the highway, but I was driving a passenger sedan before and from what I have heard, all SUVs are louder on the highway, including the Lexus which prides itself on being super quiet. Overall, a great SUV.