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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  Not sporty at all, its just a smooth and good looking gas guzzler - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By at_car_guy - March 2 - 9:53 am

  Its not sporty by any means. Its a smooth and quite car. Its not fun to drive, its not exciting either. My major complaint is that its such a gas guzzler and yet its slow in its class. It does not do any better than 23 Mpg when cruising on freeway and despite the 230Hp, its 0-60 is 7.1 seconds. I used to have a 2006 E90 BMW 325i that easily could do 28Mpg on highway and yet could go 0-60 in 6.5 seconds! I forgot to mention a collection of different rattles started at 15K miles and I had to change struts at 16K miles! To make things worst consider the fact that you have to pay for its expensive maintenance out of pocket! Its maintenance plan is a joke...

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  Excellent Automobile - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By roderickmallen - March 1 - 12:26 am

  I just purchased the car recently but love it. I have heard about the quality & performance of the Mercedes-Benz brand but am thrilled to finally experience it first-hand. The car performs flawlesly and the comfort if among the best.

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  1998 Mercedes 320 E - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By TLK - February 24 - 5:16 am

  This is my second Mercedes. The first was a 1984 300D, Both cars drive exactly the same. Except the 320 has Superior acceleration, perfect handling. In hard corners, it leans, then sticks in position until leaving the corner. Okay, the "air" had to repaired under warranty. Not under warranty was right rear window lift,and the dual cooling fans. Remember, German cars were built to be driven hard! They thrive in RPMS and enjoy hard corners! Ask any knowledgable BMW or Porsche owner. I had a 1979 320i BMW. That car drove better at 120,000 miles than when it was new. Dont baby these cars. Drive them hard!

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  A fun little car - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Carlsbad84 - February 23 - 12:53 pm

  I bought this car as a certified pre- owned with 30K miles. The car is fun to drive and acceleration and handling are great. I drive the car hard and now with just around 120K mi, it still runs great and just as smooth. Only problem Ive had was radio head unit died and I replaced with an Alpine mated to the Bose amps and it sounds great for a tenth of what Mercedes wanted for a replacement. I plan on keeping this car till it finally dies, which could be another 100k at ths rate.

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  I feel like Ive been had! - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Wised up to MB now - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Twenty-eight items addressed under warranty. Everything from seals around the doors to front end bushings to a/c to radio to interior trim to engine stalls to missing/broken bolts to frequently burning out lamps. Attitude of the service advisor? We dont build them, just fix them. Advise of the service advisor in response to how much will fixes cost? Well, may be you wont be so picky then. They just ignore the fact that this car hasnt been a good one!

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  Great Car - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By pgregory4 - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Wonderful to drive. Easy to park. Love the look of exterior and the interior cannot be beat.

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  7th MBZ and 4th E Class - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Larry in Los Angeles - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Purchased the 2003 E Class 4,000 miles ago. Came from a 2000 BMW 528i and 2002 Audi A4. The E is certainly NOT a BMW, but does not purport to be. It is quiet, very comfortable (a little too slushy, but not objectionable) and has all the necessary toys. So far, other than a very small rattle in the overhead lighting array, it is absolutely silent. Getting 27 MPG on the road to Palm Springs. The Audi was noisy and very rough riding (sport package with regular non-low profile tires). Thats why I dumped the Audi after 9 months. It was a pleasure getting back to a truly luxurious and quiet automobile. Build quality is getting better and so are the interior materials.

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  Never Again - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By gadaria - February 22 - 10:16 pm

  The S Class is the supposed flag ship of the Mercedes lineup. She is a beautiful car on the outside and on the inside. With great styling and decent performance for its weight. But the car is always needing repair. If its not one thing then its another. -Transmission leak first week of leasing -Airmatic suspension went out FOUR times; car was so low to the ground it had to be towed.($2500 fix) -ESP went out a couple of times ($1000 fix) List goes on but ill stop. Overall Im disappointed with the amount of money thrown at this car after what I paid for it. At the time of this post that car had lost 92% of its value. I expected more from their S class.

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  C230 - Sauerkraut Burner - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By duellist - February 21 - 10:00 am

  I have enjoyed the C230 for 6 months and it is definitely one of the best cars I have driven. It is smooth, yet sporty. The C-class sedan is smoother and faster with the V6, however the sweet high revs of the kompressor engine is a different feel all together. The drive brings the boy racer out in everyone. The engines sounds so cool in 1st and 2nd gear up and down Yorkville. On the highway the kompressor engine really comes out to play. Passing was a breeze and torque was strong even in 4th gear. The C230 is very refined and provides all the luxury, status and fun for us Gen- Xers.

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  Full Marks to MB - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By NILESH - February 20 - 10:33 pm

  Im probably one of the first buyers of this 06 ML350. An awesome drive, very quiet, low road noise, and excellent navigation.The best transmission in the industry. It makes the RX look like a baby toy crying for more room and horsepower. I already have driven 5500 miles. I love it.