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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  converted - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Newmerc - October 28 - 2:00 am

  It was difficult to research this vehicle once I found it. With such a limited production, there seems to be little press. The dealer recommended test-driving with the top up to experience the quiet, solid feel of the car. Its like driving a hard-top. Dont confuse this with a convertible sports car, though, it is more a well mannered car with a top that folds down. Im hooked on driving again.

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  All About The Experience - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Scott - October 26 - 5:20 am

  I bought the car new and have driven in all types of conditions. It is the most amazing car I have owned and I have owned a lot! It is a sports car, racing car, convertable (Of course), city car, road car, sedate car or beast depending on what you ask it to do. It is stealty because its little brother the Sl500 or SL 550 is common and other drivers assume that is what you are driving until you turn on the speed. What a surprise in their eyes through your rear view mirror! This car is a total experience - fun. Only caution is "it eats tires." If you want performance expect to change them every 5,000 miles or so. Performance not important, why did you buy this car?! I want a Ferrari599F1 next

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  Awesome - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Maxpane - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Better than an X5.

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  Just Crashed and survived - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By markp_92647 - October 25 - 2:00 am

  We loved our C230 2005 Kompressor, decent all around car. slightly expensive to maintain, but thats not unreasonable for this type of car I write this review today for 1 reason, i flipped the car 2 x and took out a light pole on the freeway @ 60 in the rain both my lovely wife and i walked away with some very minor bruising and sore muscles, the car is totaled, all 10 air bags burst and i believe this saved us from a lot of trauma. I rate this car an 10+ for safety, if you saw it after the wreck you would have been amazed, a lesser car would not have done so well, writing this at home 24 hrs after the crash is amazing best to all

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  I love my GLK! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Eileen, Reno, NV - October 25 - 2:00 am

  It was time for me to turn in my 2005 MB C240 lease, and I had no idea which MB I wanted next. My husband spotted the GLK and we decided to test drive it. I loved it immediately, and we leased it on the spot. I drive it every day and am only 52", but my husband, who is 64, drives it on trips and loves it too. It is zippy, gets great gas mileage, and is very solid. I love the interior features and it the Command system is really easy to use. I am going to lease another one when this one ends in July 2012!

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  2012 C350-a great choice in this category - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By zman509 - October 24 - 2:25 pm

  I bought a new C350 sedan this week after looking at Volvo S60, infinity G37, Audi S 4 and BMW 3. Never considered a Cadillac because I didnt want to get divorced. I turned in a leased BMW 528 and I wanted to downsize a bit to accomodate my 16 year old son who is a new driver. I could not be happier with my choice. Build quality, interior, engine, handling and design are all excellent. The car makes me happy to drive. The other cars I tested were good in their own way but the Benz offered the best combination of power, handling, interior appointments and safety.

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  A True German Classic Roadster... - 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Realtor - October 22 - 4:23 am

  I came across my SL320 after the hurricanes took out my Mercedes ML with a 32 yr old oak tree. I cant say enough good things about this car. The car demands attention, a true head turner. I usually only put about 5k miles per year as a leisure car. This car is a blast, I leave my BMW at home and have racked on the miles-12k. I haved the hardtop stored, and the storage compartments behind the seats accomidate my briefcase. The best feeling to crank the A/C to 60 and drop the top, turn up the Bose system and let my cares fly off with the wind in my hair. Handling is surperb. Power is very impressive, and am thankful I got the 320 over the 500 and 600-with gas at 3bucks+, & lower insurance

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  Treat Yourself to this Entry-Level Dream - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Maury Cone - October 22 - 1:36 am

  Fun, fun, fun...everything you would expect in a finely made German automobile in a reasonably priced package with all of the bells and whistles. A great little car.

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  Great Ride - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By RLS22 - October 21 - 2:00 am

  The ride is extremely smooth and controlled. The seats are extremely comfortable offering excellent support. The coupe is fairly spacious and the rear seat folds down offering additional room.

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  Still the King - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By John Heard - October 19 - 3:16 pm

  What a feeling! My nephew said while driving my SL500, "Tts hard not to look smug when youre driving this." Wonderful car. Too many complicated electonic features. I have to wade through five instruction manuals to find what should be a simple procedure. Thank goodness the only option I got was the Keyless Go. The hardtop operation is superb. The rear windscreen takes all the unpleasant blowing out of driving with the top back. Very quiet operation with the top up. Much more trunk room than the Lexus SC430. Dealers will deal on price, even if they deny it publicly.