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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  Maintenance Queen - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By floridafordleo - August 7 - 11:33 pm

  Had car since it was new. 2005 Mercedes C-230 Kompressor. Dont get me wrong the car is beautiful and is a jet when it comes to ride and handling but thats not what we use it for. The car is a daily to work and back car and every now and then a road trip maybe one state over. it seems like every week there is some expensive service that needs to be done on it. The car eats tires due to a poor suspension geometry, and you have to change the brakes every 20k miles it seems like. The car leaks oil and constantly showing error messages. I pride myself at maintaining my cars but I cant seem to stay on top with this one. Getting rid of it as soon as possible. 90k on it now.

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  very happy with car, but sound system? - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By doreneL - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Love the vehicle. It drives well. Ive had 4 jeeps before this. The only thing I miss is a more convenient standard sound system. The service department was great with any questions I had.

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  s430 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By DoubleT - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I traded in a 2001 LS430 for the S430. The Lexus was a little too pretty, could not corner and terribly boring to drive. The S430 now has 18000 miles on it, no visits to the dealer except for one oil change. It drives like a BMW with the quality of the Lexus.

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  Mercades S-430 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Grand Oganesyam - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Geart car to drive. very fast a V8 engine

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  Pure Sweetness - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By ILopez - August 7 - 10:00 am

  This car is so responsive. I just love the tiger in the engine. Might I add, fun to drive. A real looker.

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  2004 sl500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By DoubleT - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Great trunk room for a hardtop convertible. While great interior room, week thigh support. Great balance of sport and luxury ..... GT touring. Need DVD based GPS. Good road to steering wheel marriage.

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  My MB - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Silly Me - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Love the Car! Its quick, good on gas and looks good, Great MB service. I would buy it again.

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  Big step up from MDX - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Mike63 - August 6 - 5:20 am

  Just sold my wifes MDX and picked up a 2006 ML350. While the MDX was incredibly reliable and practical, it drove like an appliance. The Benz is a big step forward in performance. The engine feels much more powerful than her 2002 MDX and the transmission is by far the most seamless Ive ever driven. Its much quieter on the highway than the MDX and just feels more substantial too. Braking is much better (not a strong suit of the Acura). Overall a great SUV. I hope it proves to be reliable.

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  Used 07 E350 Sport - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By storageman - August 6 - 12:06 am

  I am a former auto dealer and have owned many vehicles. Shortly after buying this used E350 in Dec 08 - replaced Contis with Michelin Pilot Sports - huge improvement - but dont buy them at the dealership unless money is no object. The E350 Sport handles and performs very well, IMO, for a full-sized sedan. Gas mileage is consistently mid 20s in combined driving.

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  Disappointed - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By NoMerz - August 5 - 6:53 pm

  I got my 2001 in February of last year. For the first 10K miles, the car drive like a dream, but after the 10K mark things started to happen.-Rear Sun Shade motor replaced-Vibration at speed 40 mph when parked over 5 hours ibration disappears about 15/20 minutes drive)-Uneven wear (wavy) on the outside treads-CD/Radio on/off intermittent (Fiber Cable replaced) -Purge Valve replaced-AC acting up-hot air out of vent -Whine in low speed (0-20 mph)