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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  Fun, but totally unreliable - 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By clkcabriolet - February 23 - 6:12 pm

  I bought my car for a weekend convertible from the original owner who used it the same way. It has always been kept in an environmentally controlled garage and dealer maintained in its 41,000 miles . It is good looking, drives well and lots of fun.... when it works. I owned 60s Alfa Romeos and Ferraris, but none that broke like this Mercedes. The transmission, convertible top pump, computer module, trunk lock, radio, oxygen sensor and dashboard have all died. Did I mention the constant fault lights on the dash? Mercedes says this is typical. I love mine and my wifes Acuras. The ultimate luxury is dependability. If I wanted a beautiful but poor quality car I would have bought a Jaguar.

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  I Must Have Bought A Lemon... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Valerie B. - January 16 - 10:00 am

  Well, after reading the other reviews Ive concluded that my CLK430 must be an exception. I have taken the car back to the dealership for work on the headlights (1x), windows (2x), ABS light (1x), CD player (2x), and most repeatedly, the front bumper/molding (5x). MB should be ashamed of the design for the front bumper of this car. The molding around the fog lamps pops off with even slight contact with a parking bumper. While I will agree the car is peppy and having the top down is WONDERFUL, every drive has be overshadowed with the worry of, "what new is going to happen today?"

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  Stay away from E320: Poorest quality - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jerry - January 7 - 2:16 am

  More problems than you can imagine with the computer, buttons falling off, phone not working. Worst navigation system (Acura & Lexus are better -- I have both). Car had a sticker of $62K new with options. Could have bought four Hundays for that. Made the mistake of buying the SCAM of an extended warranty when the original warranty expired. Nothing but excuses as to why something isnt covered. Hands free phone that came with car doesnt work. Now they are saying its "trim" and not covered. Do yourself a favor and buy a Lexus. Thats what Im going to do. Mercedes "Summer of Love". Give me a break!

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  If you want a headache buy an SL500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By meredith - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I waited and waited for my Red 2003 Sl500 to come in. The car had problems for the beginning....from break problems, knocking noises, radio going off, roof noise bulbs going out...should i go on? The last time it was in for service...the dealership got into an accident with it. I have not seen the car for 2 months b/c they are still working on it. They just want to fix it and give it back!! I wish I sent my $104,000 on something else. Do yourself a favor buy a Corvette and pocket the money you save...best bang for the buck and headache free! If you do decide to buy one GOOD LUCK!