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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  An automobile better than anyother. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Bongome9169 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  We just bought the car acouple days ago and its amazin. Its cheap and perform the best. The stereo is a blast the speakers will blow u away. I like the sportish look to it. Its alil small that was the thing I dont really like bout it. So if your lookin for a family car go with the C320.

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  good car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By EBdk - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Car is amall yet powerful, it blows out other car from the line up traffic light easilly.

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  Hugh disappointment in Quality & Service - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Alex C... - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Within a month after the purchase I started to have numerous problems like telephone system failure, too much engine noise, main screen & CD changer shutdown, etc. They took 5 days to fix these problems and then I had to take my car in again for almost same problems for another 5 days. They had to replace all those problem parts again just like last time. Now, Im starting to have some problems again like trunk closure & sunshade malfunctions, phone system problems, keyless GO malfunction, etc. I paid almost $70k with this vehicle including pretty much all the options. Now they are useless since they are the main things causing all these problems

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  The best car I had ever bought - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hassan Zaidi - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I havent even checked its cooling fluid.First time u sit behind steering u should first chekh the manual coz its like a airplanes cockpit.but in few days everything is under control.

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  Bullet Proof CL63 - 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By CMM - January 23 - 6:36 pm

  An absolutely phenomenal car that makes CL (or S) driving more excitement than you can imagine. Not quite as much torque as the 12cyl CL600, but quick as nearly anything else on the street. When speed isnt an issue, it rides like a limo - smooth & quiet. With the AMG sport package and 20" wheels and tires it turns heads wherever it goes. Although its 4500lbs, it feels like a sports cars with the Active Body Control suspension that keeps the car dead flat. The tranmission is tied to the suspension settings and here again goes from smooth and easy to 7000rpm manual only shifting. Actually the middle Sport Mode is the best selction for shifting. Overall, the best Benz Ive owned in 20yrs

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  Mercedes scored another MB with me... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Will - January 23 - 5:46 am

  I have to say my 3rd Mercedes and the best of all. Im loving this car more every day, it has everything you could want from a luxury car and more. It safe, really safe, the brakes are "touchy" but emergency are very powerful, the 8 air bags, the seat belts tight in braking. Ok performance is good but could be better but for me is precise because I live in a mountanies island (Puerto Rico, it climbs hill without a problem, fuel economy is very good, ive known to get 450 miles on a tank and 32.0 mpg. Its comfortable, and stable ( if you buy sport package even better) it takes corners smothly. I just know I love going on long trips on the car, no pain anywhere, super comfy, buy it and you will like it

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  2004 G500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Thai - January 19 - 6:00 pm

  Great SUV. Just the right size for off-roading. Built like a tank or bank vault. Nothing else on the road like it. The locking diffs and compact size are what put this SUV above everything else not named Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. Interior space is surprisingly good, but a bit narrow. This applies to the cargo area too. Interior design is very old, but the materials and fit & finish are first rate (and appropriate for price). Storage space is at a premium though. Stereo is pretty good when you play CDs, not so good with radio. Leather is top-notch...after 50k miles, no signs of creasing! (This is in contrast to my brothers LX470s leather.)

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  A perfect mix of sport and luxury - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Luxury and Sport - January 19 - 6:00 pm

  This car is awesome! The handling is superb. The Kompressor engine makes the four cylinder engine feel like six. The interior design is very attractive and the exterior design is an attention grabber. This is the first Mercedes I have owned and it wont be the last. The sound system is impressive and Mercedes uses high quality materials in its interior. Dont miss an opportunity to test drive this car. Youll find that you are getting a lot of bang for your buck.

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  Kudos to Mercedes CLK class - 2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Roger Lund - January 19 - 1:50 am

  My fifth Mercedes. This is the best. I have had more compliments on this car than any of the previous 50 or more that I have owned. It is the most confortable car to drive that I ever owned. The only complant that I have is the lack of Blue Tooth phone capabilities. The cost of adding the Mercedes equipment is rediculous. I will wait for the appropriately priced after market to become available.

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  Covertible Perfection - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By SL Driven - January 19 - 1:00 am

  This is the best and last of the "true" Mercedes Benz. Next model will have "Daimler-Chrysler" on the mfgrs plate. This cars got all the speed you would want, and with the sport pkg, its handling limits are high enough to go play on mountain roads. Add a sweet sound system and armour like but comfy seats, and youve got the best two seat transportation available.