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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  Late 2002 model of C 320 Sedan - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By george 3333 - April 30 - 2:00 am

  My C 320 4 dr sedan was manufactured in May of 2002. It took a few weeks to get acquainted with the menues and sub menues of the sophisticated electronic features. After this period I was very satisfied with the ride, comfort, and the many convenience features of the vehicle. It is fun to drive longer distances and great in tight parking situations. My car needed 2 minor electronic repairs and I was furnished a free rental car by the dealership each time.

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  Beautiful piece of junk - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By gotta_mb_lemon - April 30 - 2:00 am

  Bought a 2003 E320 in October. Loved it at first. Since then its been in the shop 4 times. Three audio system failures, central gateway controller failures (kinda scary in a brake-by- wire car), thermometer and an apparent engineering glitch in the way the door locks in the drivers side door is built. It sticks and wont open sometimes. Mercedes corporate hasnt even bothered to contact us and express their concern. Dont but this car.

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  Interior needs work, the rest is great - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ssilver - April 29 - 1:26 pm

  I have had my 2003 Mercedes-Benz C32 AMG for a little over six months. I love the engine, it seems to be put together rather well (I havent had any problems in 4,000 miles), but the interior is awful. The ac/heater/wiper/c.control/pwr seat controls are worse than in the 1990 Nissan that I had. The cup holder is only symbolic, the lack of navigation and an in dash multi disk CD player is absurd at these price levels. If I could have taken my 2001 Saabs interior and put it into this car it would be perfect. Fortunately as soon as you put your foot down the thing takes off!

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  Over priced hunk of junk - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By phils68 - April 24 - 11:50 pm

  Warning to other potential buyers: been through 7 recalls on the SBC brakes and other electrical problems. This lousy vehicle needed a wheel alignment at only 6000 miles and the warranty only cover the labor and not parts and guess what? parts costs over $220 to set the steering straight. Pretty pathetic for a pampered vehicle that is only driven on the weekends

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  S Class Wagon - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Bob - April 24 - 2:36 pm

  If MB had a S class wagon this would be it. With a family of 5, this car works. The kids do ask about the impact of a car of the earth..so with a SL500 in the garage, I had to do something. The Bluetec power is more useful than the numbers would suggest with very good passing power once underway. Build quality is first rate. With a heavy foot Im getting 20- 22 mpg in the city and just over 28 mpg on the highway. This is a 5000 lbs car and every crossover/suv this size should have this type of engine. It just plain works and makes sense. Has unmatched safety features in the crossover/suv class. You get what you pay for..will have this one for 10 years.

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  A FINE CAR - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By ML320S - April 24 - 10:00 am

  WE USE THIS VEHICLE ONLY ON LONGER TRIPS. HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT BACK TO DEALER ONE TIME FOR A FAULTY REAR HATCH LOCK UNDER WARRENTY. HAVE DRIVEN PAST MAY VEHICLES IN THE DITCH ON ICY FREEWAYS.EXCELLENT WINTER CAR. EXCELLENT RIDE.

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  ml 320 AFTER 2 YEARS - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gARY - April 24 - 10:00 am

  I still love this vehicle after 2 years, all wheel drive awesome and its pretty quick too.

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  mercedes - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By k;sdjgkdj;vn - April 24 - 10:00 am

  this is the best car I have ever driven. it is a winner!

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  Downsizing - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bob meyers - April 23 - 10:06 am

  Went from a 2008 E 350, I had ben given a C300 4 matic as a loaner car for service. Drives like my many BMWs, great ride, very comfortable. Staff where I work just love the looks, fuel consumption could be better otherwise I love my car

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  Easy to drive and manuever. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Hanz - April 22 - 7:36 pm

  Excellent manueverability and flexibility. Easy parking and driving . Quick take off and speeding when entering freeway. 6 CD player