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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  The Ultimate Car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By apb - July 23 - 7:13 pm

  This car has it all; performance of a supercar, beautiful in and out, luxury, hardtop and convertible. Drive it only in Manual Mode and the suspension and transmission rivals race cars yet it is so full of luxury and a convertible of hard top for winter or foul weather.

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  Not worth the money - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By western6 - July 22 - 12:10 pm

  This is my third Benz, first and last S class. The handling on this car is poor compared to my 05 E class with AMG package. The seats are not supportive in spirted driving. The panorama roof does not have a one touch feature. My old car had an altimeter on the navigation, this car does not. I will most likely will try somthing else next time.

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  Best of series - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By David - July 21 - 8:50 am

  I have owned several Mercedes, most recently C280 and then an E320. The E350 4-matic is the run away best. From the outset, it has a better ride, firmer integrity, and high comfort. In some ways it has moved closer to S-class feel and ride -- not all the way. The interior seems much roomier than my previous 2003 E320, even though the specs are only a bit roomier. The additional of 4-matic has been awesome (for me in the Midwest), comparable to the moving power of my spouses ML in snowy conditions. I look forward to trips -- I added iPod integration and the sound is totally amazing resembling fixed speakers. Sound far exceeds radio/satellite radio. iPod control on wheel is a bit tricky.

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  Great Handling SUV, Some Big Nits - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Barry - July 20 - 3:10 am

  My 2007 ML 500 is the best handling and riding SUV I have been in. Really enjoyable to drive, corners extremely well. Seats are really comfortable. Cargo space is pretty roomy. Biggest complaint is delay in acceletration: Car "jumps" after 1 sec or so delay when stepping on the gas. Gas mileage is terrible. Also the automatic tailgate only goes about 3/4 of the way up, and so if you dont remember to push it the rest of the way up with your hand, you will bang your head on it if you are more than about 5 10"(which I have done about 100 times). Final complaint is navigation is very hard and slow to program, especially if you are in a hurry.

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  Great Car so far - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By lightls - July 19 - 3:26 pm

  My positive reactions to this car far out way any negative feelings. We have had severe snow for the last three weeks and it seems impossible to get stuck. It goes through everything. The upright angle of the windshield tends to collect too many bugs during summer and the climate controls and cruise control lever are in an poor location. Power is reminiscent of the V8s back in the 60s except smooth. I have gotten up to 24 MPG on a long trip driving at 65 the whole way and I have gotten as low as 17 when pushing the gas peddle harder. Back seat room is minimal and there is not much space for holding things outside the glove box, or in the glove box for that matter. The ride is sweet and quiet.

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  Power Plus Quality - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bootknf - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Has all the power you could want and transfers it to the pavement well. Absolutely no mechanical problems in nearly 2 years.

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  Great handling and fun to drive - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Jan Elberse - July 19 - 10:00 am

  This car looks great, handles like a dream, and has power to spare. Very fun to drive, great trunk space for a relatively small car, lots of cool features. Roll down the windows and it feels like youre driving a convertible.

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  My first Mercedes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By holwil - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Just got my C240 a few days ago and so far its been a dream. I also looked at the Audi A4, the BMW 325i, and the Mercedes C320. Although you get more bang for your buck with the Audi (leather, better interior set up, more room in back passenger seats) I had my heart set on a Mercedes. I like the way this car handles and looks but feel like I should have gotten more for the money. Im not dissapointed but for 33K - give me leather interior and a CD player standard, ya know what I mean?

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  Excellent - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Lou Nguyen - July 19 - 10:00 am

  i have an very good time with the new car i drove i love the air filter in the car and i also love the seat the way leather make me feel so important in this car the more confidence i have with the new car thanks BENZ

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  Maybe next model will do justice - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mark - July 17 - 5:20 pm

  Leasing, so exonerated of any worries. Good pulling manners, the star still attracts decent admiration from aspiring debutantes. The design is a mix of the old MB with BMW 3 series features a and a reminder of the old Honda Accord right on the butt (or boot).