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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  5000 miles update - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Nelson from missouri - March 9 - 10:53 pm

  Well it time for an update on my ML550. I put on 6,000 miles and so far not much problem to report. I had to make one stop to the dealer to date and that was for a recall notice I receive to fix some hydraulic problem and tail light seal. The truck was drop off in the morning and i picked it up about three hours later. some noticeable comments: 1) there is a click noise in the cold when you first start the car. 2) With the window down a loud noise is heard when switching from park to drive or reverse. The dealer said this is normal and is due to the large solonoid. 3) The radio went off but no display came on. The radio came back on after the vichele was turn off and back again.

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  Love it - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Phyllis - March 7 - 1:20 pm

  This is my 4th CLK. Loved them all. Holds the road great. The new cupholder I prefer, however, I do hear complaints that there is a need for two. A tire inflation monitor would be helpful. So as you can see, dont have any complaints.

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  ok better ride in bmw - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mb90 - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Its little loud, it could use little more power.I belive other suv are to be look at out for the same price.

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  You cant go wrong. - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Conradikal - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I am a police officer specializing in traffic reconstruction. I have seen many crashes involving all kinds of vehicle makes and model. NOTHING impressed me more than a Mercedes Benz. AMG elevated Mercedes to a higher level. Not only can an owner enjoy the safety Mercedes offers, AMG provides the horse power other manufacturers strive to achieve. It has four doors. In my opinion for its price range, it is the best value. Owning one truly gives me the best of both worlds. A car that is built like a tank that can run with Porsches and Corvettes. Not that I do, but knowing I can is good enough. It is a wolf in a sheeps cloak.

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  WOW! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By PHJ - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Superior handling, very powerful for a 4-cylinder - great accelleration for a car this heavy, great selection of amenities, Classic styling, feels tight and quiet.

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  I like the CD player - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JeffBos - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I just picked up my C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan 5 days ago and have only put about 200 miles on it, so I cant comment on too much. That being said, I have read in several places that many people feel that MB made a mistake by not putting an in-dash CD player in the car. Actually I think it works best the way it is now. Each member of my family has their own CD magazine, or two. It is much easier to swap magazines than mess with CDs and jewel cases, especially while driving. The fact that the changer is located in the glove box (left side, even better) makes it much easier than the in-dash player to swap music around while driving solo.

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  Y2k in 2003 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By h8mymbz - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Great car. Terrible computer system. Ive had 3 failures of the SRS in less than a year. Each repair taking an average of 9 days. Twice the entire system needed replacment, once they couldnt figure the problem. Factory denys that the SRS is an important safety feature and thereby denied my repurchase request. Beware of this car and of MBUSA...

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  NOT WORTH THE MONEY... - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By LoveToDrive - March 3 - 10:16 am

  Mercedes benz sales people are talented in their B.S. but for the money this one is DOG! Buy something else, Mercedes has cut too many corners to make this car affordable however it must looks like a Mercedes and acts like a Dodge! Happy hunting!

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  Unexpectedly Poor Quality - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By bostonengine - March 3 - 8:24 am

  We have several MBs in my family. This is probably our 5th MB. I was already impressed with the quality. Reliability was what made this car an Mercedes Benz! However, 2009 that I own is far from reliable. 1. It always had some electrical/electronic issues since I bought every 4-5 months. 2. Road Noise is unbearable. I believe this is a car-specific problem, but Service Department refuses to sees the problem. Whoever gets into my car however, asking me what the noise is coming from. 3. "SRS Malfunction" error message appeared out of nowhere and prevents the use of the car. Lets talk about reliability! 4. Seat is ripped from stitches when the car is only 4 years old.

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  Really Enjoyed the Ride - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By george wilds - March 2 - 5:41 pm

  MBZ has costly repairs once out of warranty. Find a reliable mechanic comfortable with the brand. A pleasure to own, however.