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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  Almost Perfect - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Carolyn Volatile - February 16 - 6:33 am

  The cup holder still a joke and it could use more power, but other than that, a thrill to drive. Great handling, styling and reliability

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  I love my car! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By ILOVEMYG - February 15 - 2:16 am

  The G-Wagen is so eyecatching on the exterior and it is the kind of car that you feel so good to be in. Wherever you go a lot of attention is on you. Its fast for an SUV and the brakes are great because you can stop at the last minute.

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  My favorite car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Nicky - February 14 - 3:40 pm

  This is the best car I have ever had. I love getting into it and driving it every day. This is my second one. I bought the first one two months before, but some one rear ended me on the freeway and smashed my car into the car in front of me. My first one was totalled, but I was not hurt. I replaced it with the exact same model and even chose the same color, Iridium silver. I am sure this wonderful car saved my life in that accident. We have 3 Mercedes C-230 coupes in our family. I wish Mercedes would continue making this wonderful car forever.

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  Selling this car - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Amy - February 14 - 4:20 am

  I got this car two years ago and loved it. But after 6 months everthing started to fall apart. My sunroof doesnt work. And the dealership said it would cost around $1000 to fix. My engine has had so much work done and has taken 5 weeks total. And it still needs more work. And the exhaust needs work too. This car is a money pit!

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  A beauty! - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Herodotous - February 13 - 5:13 am

  I have been enjoying my CLS for the past 5 months. What a head turner! Great looks. Great performance. So unique!

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  Is this a LEMON? - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By NomoreBenz - February 11 - 10:00 am

  After saving $63,000 and waiting 3 months for delivery, Im not happy at all. At delivery, both seat backs was loose, AC auto makes loud noise in operation, engine noise is excessive, at low cruising car bucks and launches when accelerating, sun roof electronics are not functioning as designed, there is a shuttering sound coming from the out side of car at speeds over 60. All this and I only had the car 6 weeks! What happened to Quality insurance and delivery inspections. Im taking this car back to dealer calming I got a LEMON!!!!!

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  5th and Best MB Ive ever had - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Katcat - February 11 - 10:00 am

  Ive had two other Es (good cars), an S500 (expensive junk), and an ML (less expensive junk), and my E500 is the best MB Ive had yet. It has renewed my faith in this company. The sport pkg was worth it; the car handles like a dream. The Command system is intuitive - easy to use. MB customer service was exceptional in this case. My car was one of the 1st in 2002, and didnt have a nav, but I bought one to be installed when it was ready. The nav that was designed couldnt fit the configuration of my car (ridiculous design error), so guess what? MB gave me a brand new car with nav after 6 months of use!

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  Nice Car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gkstone39 - February 10 - 11:33 pm

  Terrific all around vehicle. Very reliable, as I never had to bring it in for service other than regular scheduled service.

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  Best in 45 years - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By vl39 - February 9 - 6:20 am

  I have a 1998 E300 Turbodiesel and it was the best overall vehicle I have ever had until I purchased a 2006 E320 Turbodiesel. The 2006 gets 15% to 20% better mileage, and it has 20% more performance. The lighting is superior, the Nav system works well, and the ride and handling are better than any vehicle I have owned. Mileage is 37 to 40 mpg at 70mph, and 33 to 35 mpg at 75 mpg.

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  Poser - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Corey Smith - February 9 - 5:33 am

  Least reliable vehicle I have ever experienced. Needs frequent, unscheduled visits to repair shop. A cars first priority should be quality and reliability. This car fails in that regard. 500 hp is irrelevant if the car is sitting once again in the dealers repair shop.