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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  2005 ML-350 Special Edition - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MDR - August 2 - 10:00 am

  I just got a 2005 ML-350 Special Edition in pewter with ash interior. A beautiful car and drives like a dream. I have a 3rd row seat option and can seat my 3 kids in this car pretty comfortably. At the same time it is a mid-size car (I am not a big fan of huge SUVs or minivans). Navig. system is great. Overall I love this car. Everyone who has testdriven it is very impressed.

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  what a mess - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By my car - August 2 - 10:00 am

  I have been driving a mercedes for 30 years. Ordered my 2002 in July 2002.Added special lights ,built in phone. Paid 75000.00 cash and boy did I get a surprise in Oct.2002 when I got the car. So many blind spots, cheap made, very little leather and I want even get into the problems I have had. I am ashamed of the poor excuse for the navigation, no one told me about the 10 cd,s you had to buy.Bought all while traveling and then the whole system gave out.Plastic bumpers?

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  The Rocketship - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By gr82fly - August 2 - 10:00 am

  The AMG package makes this Benz a rocket. It is quiet and handles like a dream. This Benz is the best of the four that I have owned. Some quibble about limited trunk space. Name me a rocketship that does have a spacious trunk.

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  Wunderbar - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By NC Beach - August 2 - 10:00 am

  Traded a 2003 430 CLK. Loved it but 500 SL is tops

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  Still Improving - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By J Moran - August 2 - 10:00 am

  With less than 3000 miles the AC went out . This should not Happen, but it has with outher models. Quality Control seems to be slipping.

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  Pushing your luck - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By TrueReviews - August 2 - 1:40 am

  Only the Merc themselves and people who drive their cars know how terrible their cars are. Engineering; dependability; luxury; performance are at its worst compared to Lexus or BMW. Spending a fortune on a car like this is totally not worth it.

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  Have to get rid of this one. - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By paul - August 1 - 3:20 am

  Wonderful to drive. Fabulous mileage. Have driven MB since 1982. This is my last one. Has left me on the side of the road three times away from my home state in only 21000 miles. Fuel lift pump and fuel gauge sender unit is weak. It must be the same as from the gas engined car. Unit has been replaced twice. Air conditioner freezes up after driving two or three hours and has to be turned off to thaw, but refreezes every thirty minutes or so. Dealership seems unable to fix it. Mysterious electronic bugs in display that come and go. Preheat indicator sometimes comes on and stays on for three or four minutes. This car is not reliable enough to drive long distances!

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  Best Car Ive ever owned - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Runningman - July 29 - 8:46 pm

  This car is a pleasure to drive. Plenty of power and the the seven speed is really smooth. My wife and I fight over this car. Just pure driving enjoyment.

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  Update On My January Review - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Michael - July 29 - 7:36 pm

  After driving my new E350 Sport Sedan for 5 months, I still aver that this is the best E Class Mercedes Benz they have ever manufactured. The voice activation system is truly remarkable. You must take the time to read through the owners manual to really appreciate how many functions are controllable through the voice mode. Navigation system is phenomenal - enhance traffic info from Sirius Radio is right on the money. Ride and handling superior to any previous E class model. The vehicle seems to ride more "heavily" even though the weight is about the same as the 2009. I have not had the car back to the dealer for "anything". No needed adjustments or fixes. GREAT VEHICLE!

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  The perfect automobile - 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By SRM - July 29 - 2:00 am

  This is my second SL 500 and, like the first one, it has performed flawlessly. There is nothing like the solid feel of a Benz, and the convertible is the epitome of the MB design.