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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  Looks good but stays in the shop - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By bbh - June 14 - 10:00 am

  After 3 years of owning a C320 I decided to upgrade to a E500. My C320 visited the workshop more than any of my cars but I thought the new models might be better. Well within 24-hours of delivery the car was on a tow truck. The alternater had died within the 1st 100 miles of the cars life. The fact that the factory and dealer tests did not find the bad alternater scared the hell out of me. What can I expect from this car?

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  GL-350 - Worst Can of my life ! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By deninfiniti - June 14 - 1:34 am

  Let me start off by saying that when I test drove my 2010 GL-350 I fell in love with it. The engine was smooth, transmission great and interior quality was fantastic, so I went ahead and purchased it. Despite having 90k miles on it (I have had diesels before and run them until 150k easily and know they can go much higher so the miles didnt worry me) I thought it was as sound decision as I have also had 2 Mercedes before and loved them. Well after 4 Check engine lights (Blue Tech low, Fuel line break, Blue Tech heater replacement and an O-ring failure on the turbo) and over $3000 in 4 months I finally traded it in for a new Japanese car. My advice, DO NOT buy and older Mercedes !

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  Im still having fun! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Andrew - June 12 - 9:16 pm

  Go buy it! I test drove the BMW 325i and found the C-Class better looking inside and out. Plus I think it has more leg room. Ive put over 1,300 miles and Im really enjoying it. Get the Entertainment Package, love the Harman/Kardon sound system. Im surprised by the power of the little supercharged 4-banger. I just got out of a 2001 Volvo S60 2.4t, its smaller inside then the Volvo but Im having fun!!! The ride is better and quieter. So far Im really enjoying the car.

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  Fun little car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By edge83 - June 11 - 9:26 am

  Very impressed with fuel economy. Very quick, but had trouble with battery. Other than that was a great car.

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  e320 plain&fancy - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By timfrank - June 11 - 2:00 am

  Sturdy and elegant ,if staid, this car surprises me in its acceleration and quiet manners. It may be only a V6 but it really GOES. The transmission is the smoothest I have ever seen.

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  clk320 cab - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By BOBO - June 11 - 2:00 am

  fun and beutifull, good handeling can seat 4 adults the best convertable for the money!

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  One of the most gorgeous cars ever! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Woo - June 10 - 9:53 pm

  Now, Im a very proud owner of a real beauty, the Mercedes Benz CLS-Class. I traded in my 5-series for a new 08 CLS this week. My 5-series had very good driving dynamics, but was simply no match for this Mercedes in terms of beauty, luxury and prestige. The CLS puts an high emphasis on syle, but it also nicely blends in great performance and an acceptable level of sedan-utility. Pound-for-pound, the CLS may be more expensive than any other mass-production cars today (including its younger brother, E-Class), but for that extra that you pay, you get a chance to own one of the most beautiful cars made today.

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  Second S550 ... first 4matic - 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By doublet - June 10 - 3:50 pm

  I just traded in my 2007 S550 (bought March 2006) with 24,000 miles on a new 4matic with almost every option (list $107k). Obviously I loved my 2007, or would not have bought the 2008. There is a big difference in both the driving and mileage of this one versus my 07. The new one is both 4matic and has the AMG appearance package. It drives more like a BMW, but gets much less gas mileage than the 2 wheel version. By the way, my old one had no reliability issues during the 2 years of ownership.

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  2007 Mercedes CLS550 - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Boca Raton - June 9 - 6:03 am

  The style is nice. The car is in the shop at least once every 3 months. Fixes so far include, oil leaks, belt tensioner replaced, chrome trim tarnished and replaced, differential replaced, steering wheel leather peeled, door glass window needed several repairs, cup holder chrome peels off in one year or so, replaced once and will need replacement again, window class catches the rubber molding when opened on all doors (no fix available at dealer). The car has clicking noise from from and rear suspension, the dealer said it is normal to have the noise. It may well be normal but I did not expect a MB to have such noises. Blind spot is bad.

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  2001 E320 Mercedes sedan - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By kgcarrut - June 9 - 2:34 am

  I bought the car with only 87000 Kms on it and fixed a few things and put on new top of the line tires. The car runs beautifully and I have few complaints. But I find the steering is very tight and the car reacts immediately at the very slightest movement of the steering wheel which when on the highway at 75 to 80 mph can be disconcerting. It also doesnt straighten out by itself after a turn and you have to help it by steering it back. On the highway I found a sudden gust of wind or even passing a large truck can cause the car to swerve and in one instance almost move me out of the lane I was in. Is this normal?? None of the cars I was following swerved as much.