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 CLK 320CAB - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By leon - June 30 - 10:50 am

  Fun and luxurious way to enjoy a ride. Compact and safe, great maneuvering.

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  The Ultimate Luxury SUV - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By HCJ3 - June 30 - 4:36 am

  This is the best luxury SUV on the market. My wife and I each bought the 2007 ML 350. Ride quality is the best. It handles well. The visibility is the best. It is a platinum class driving experience in a luxury SUV. Everything is well thought out. Everthing works well. You cant wait to drive this SUV each day. It handles any driving experience. It is far superior than the the new BMW X5. The Comand system is the best. The navigation is easy and works better than any on the market. All of the controls are well thought out. Everything is integrated. The option packages make this SUV unlike any on the market. Test drive them all. This is the the one you will buy.

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  Retension belt - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RogPark - June 30 - 2:03 am

  I had this car for less than one year, enough time for me to have all sorts of service issues. I was sold this car as a "certified" vehicle which is marketing bs talk for "used" car. In a nutshell, I had problems with the retension belt. I drove 8,000 until the belt had to be replaced. I argued that this is something that needed to be covered under warranty and even the Benz service guy agreed. It wasnt so I had to shell out $440. I bought a Hyundai Vera Cruz at about the same time as the C280. Im on the verge of exchanging the C280 with a Sonata. Ata least my expectations wont be high with a Sonata.

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  E Class ...Better Choice Than The BMW 5 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SJSUATO - June 30 - 2:00 am

  I have owned Porches, BMWs, and M- Bs...my new E500 beatsem all...Ive never enjoyed a car so much as this one.

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  E55-Ultimate Car! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mb4ever - June 30 - 2:00 am

  This is an amazing car. It can beat Vipers and Ferraris at stoplights but still has the panache to check in at the Four Seasons. A great vehicle!

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  2004 E500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By huynhm - June 30 - 2:00 am

  It is a great car. Design and execution is great. My only complain is the one feature which I purchase and did not get is the active lights option. MB should have informed their customer when they delayed a feature as I custom order this car.

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  ONLY FLAW - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By ALDOUS WILSON - June 30 - 2:00 am

  A PURE PLEASURE TO OWN,BUT APPEARS LITTLE SLOWER THAN MUSTANG ABOVE 60, WHEN RACING,LIMITED RPM CONTROL, EVEN WITH DUAL TRANSMISSION

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  Consider Certified Used - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By calang1 - June 28 - 5:34 am

  Great car. Love the aesthetics and the red paint is a real eye-catcher. The 4Matic works great even here in the snowy North Hills of Pittsburgh. The seven-speed transmission never dissapoints, and knows when to hold a gear while descending hills or even during a pause in acceleration. Fuel economy is acceptable, but ride and comfort are outstanding.

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  A Gem of a Car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Designer - June 28 - 4:46 am

  Bought the certified car with 30K in 2002. Ive driven the car 80 miles every day and after 83,000 miles, I have yet to have a single repair bill, except for regular FSS A/B maintenance (every 10K miles). Its W202 body is a classic and the perky 2.8 engine justs adds. The C280 is one of the best cars made in Germany from 1998-2000. Afterwards, the C240, with a lesser 2.6 engine, was launched.

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  1st time - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By WE-R-1 - June 27 - 8:03 am

  An outstanding auto on the open road. Eye catching vehicle with a smooth and quiet ride, handles well, plenty of cabin room. Been in shop 4 times for power assist problems with trunk (on last trip, power assist doors went on blink as well). Scheduling another appointment- this time trunk will only open with valet key. Noisy front seats remedied after 3rd try with replacement of plastic seat guides. Cup holder design poor. Navigation system- too many key strokes and street info on CD is paltry. Still love the vehicle, but frustrated by the mutiple vists to repair items that I would not expect on a vehicle with less than 32000 miles- let alone a MB.