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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  I want to throw my E430 on the junk heap - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bearvark - February 17 - 2:00 am

  My 2000 E-430 4-matic is a piece of garabage. It has only 7,500 mi. Every 6 months it goes in for some major repair.Ive had the radidiator, fuel tank, entire instrument cluster and major AC components replaced and repeated problems with the steering column, among others. Mercedes says "that is why they have warranties". When I mention my warrranty is about up, they tell me dont worry everything is fixed. I have zero confidence in that statement. Unfortunately, I purchased the car. When I inquired about some type of accomodation on a trade in, they refused. I guess they no longer build a decent car nor care about customer satisfaction.

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  Great - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Mr.Big Little - February 17 - 2:00 am

  Its fun to drive, but too much power.

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  Sweet C32 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rareamg - February 17 - 2:00 am

  The C32 is a great car to drive. I love the way the car picks up, lots of power to spare. If you get a chance test drive one. You will want to take it home.

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  Bye bye BMW - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Alec - February 16 - 9:33 pm

  First time I have ever owned MB. Had 3 BMWs and an Infiniti G35. BMWs now run on Microsoft Windows. If you want a car that can crash before you leave your driveway, BMWs for you. Get an eMachine instead. I much prefer German cars over Japanese. I love driving this car. It is very stylish and comfortable. The fuel economy is pretty good. Looking forward to MB sending the diesel version of this car to the US. This car is very well put together and has great attention to detail.

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  Awesome car! - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BGage - February 16 - 12:50 pm

  Turns the heads!! I really enjoy driving this vehicle. I think everyone should test drive one and see what a huge difference they will feel from their current cars they are driving now!

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  Wonderful - 2010 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rick - February 16 - 10:40 am

  I waited to write this review until after my 3,000 mile round-trip to FL. My MB C-Class is a beautiful, solid, and luxurious car. It is an all-around wonderful car and a pleasure to be in and to drive. I now look forward to every trip and errand around town so I can drive this car. BMW engineers did a great job on my former 325ci as a "driving machine", but they did not come close to the amazing comfort, careful attention to detail and quality interior and features of this MB.

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  my C230 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By THOMAS - February 16 - 10:00 am

  THE C230 Kompressor is a true Mercedes in every way and form from its soild ride & looks & performance makes it one fun car to drive.

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  clk320 rocks forget the clk500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By losarkos - February 16 - 10:00 am

  great little rocket ship with top notch looks and quality to the max seats a bit small but im 6 feet 2 inches and i still love this car trust me you do not need the clk500 this v6 rocks!

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  Incredible Value - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By raylaz - February 16 - 10:00 am

  Mercedes has an absolute winner with the C230. BMW, Audi nor Porsche have a similiar entry-level offering at this price. Great Mercedes marketing strategy to hook new buyers, Im sure this will be the first of many more Benz autos that we will purchase.

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  Great Car with horrible Build Quality - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By babo21 - February 16 - 10:00 am

  smooth V6, good handling, looks luxurious and the name Mercedes However, it is seriously overpriced, i bought mine for 4 grand under MSRP. No in dash CD, CD changer cost $800 becuz stupid fiber optic cable. horrendous build quality.. one of the speaker went out on first day..electronic key failure on second day.. kinda scared whats up next..