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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  they went from good to bad - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By sdjkhfjk - August 24 - 10:00 am

  i have allot of problems with mine it stalls at all different times.. they are still unable to fix it after 4 months of the problem and 5 trys

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  Great Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By williebegoode - August 23 - 10:00 am

  Ever since I first saw the exterior styling of this E350 Ive wanted one. The style was continued until 2009, and then changed in 2010 to a more angular look. So the 2006 looks exactly like the 2009 and the same model before it. This model has more pep than I realized, and I like the details and safety of the car. Very comfy.

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  Best car of the World! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Jeff - August 23 - 3:03 am

  We were looking for a vehicle which could accommodate a 7 member family. We love the R-class and comfort of Mercedes. Its absolutely quiet inside and got decent accelaration for such a vehicle. Overall I give it a 100% score

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  Great Experience - 2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By swankshop - August 22 - 6:43 pm

  This car(truck) is smooth to drive, relatively nimble, quick, stylish inside and out, fuel economical, solid, sufficiently large and luxurious. It has all the gadgets and some time studying the manual to operate these gadgets is a must. On a recent trip from Ontario to Myrtle Beach and return, 3561.88 KM including mostly highway with speeds 65 to 85 mph and some local driving, we burned 307.44 Liters of diesel resulting in 32.73 mpg(imperial) or 27.25 mpg(US). The vehicle has just over 3000 miles and mpg should improve in the next year. There have been no faults large or small found. I consider myself to be easy on vehicles and found Saabs, Volvos, and Chryslers of the past to be excellent.

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  Love our Benz - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By atwell4 - August 21 - 10:43 am

  We waited until retirement to purchase a Benz. Ive wanted one ever since I can remember. My husband and I both love this car. Weve not been disappointed with the purchase. The ride, handling, and everything about it makes us wonder why we waited so long. It looks good on the outside and feels good on the inside. We selected the black/black. This combination looks really good, but it does dirty quickly. Oh, well, guess thats the price one has to pay to drive the car of ones dreams. People think we paid a lot more than we did, it looks that good! And an added bonus: were getting plenty of extra exercise parking far away from other vehicles in parking lots!

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  Very Fast 500hp - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By DJ - August 19 - 2:11 am

  Very Fast 1st Super Car that was produced

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  Cant go wrong - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Daver - August 18 - 2:43 pm

  This car has made driving fun again. Great handling, firm solid feeling, and an excellent build quality. After driving BMW and Lexus, there was no comparison to the overall driving experience. Better than advertised fuel economy. Only complaint is a some what noisy HVAC system.

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  Great SUV IF its working - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By flip900rr - August 18 - 1:28 pm

  We purchased an 2006 ML500 a year ago. It has been in the shop at least 4 times and over $10K of repairs. I am glad we purchased the extended warranty and it is still covered. Thank God! Anways, if this suv was just reliable it would be perfect. My wife and I love driving this vehicle. The problem it is always in the shop. We are thinking about trading it in because it a hassle taking it to the shop every 3-4 months. This is by far the most unreliable vehicle I have ever owned.

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  Ballin with Balls! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By rob - August 18 - 2:33 am

  I am a sales manager at a very large dealership and i sell everything from a ford escort on up to well, a Mercedes Benz. Im only 28 years old an Ive probably owned somewhere around 30 cars since i was 16. This is honestly the first car Ive fallen in love with! I was debating over the last few months of whether i wanted to buy a luxury car or a performance car, when i drove the cls 550, i realized i could have both and made an immediate purchase.

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  MB ML320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ,ljkhjfjhgdh,m - August 18 - 2:00 am

  OK Vehicle for actually an American built (in Alabama). truck. Good Derman engine and drivetrain. Poor US assembly. Fairly reliable, but major parts blew with no help from factory (warranty expired). $3000 for tranfer case at 102,000 miles, steering box at 111,000 cost $2200, Rt Engine exhaust manifold cost $750 installed at 160,000. High pollution engine. Pulled trailer 1500 miles no sweat. Wont buy a another MB. Now going to try Toyotas reputation. BTW, this was a work truck for me, not a wifes car to take to the store.