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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  Perfect - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mb driver - August 15 - 9:33 am

  No more to say

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  Great SUV - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Walter Fitzhog - August 13 - 11:13 pm

  Bought this gorgeous suv in November, 05. Test drove the Escalade, Bmw X5, Lexus GS, Porsche S, and VW Touareg. Narrowed my choice down to the ML-500 because it was just great looking, had the largest engine and the fasest out of all the other 5 i drove. I favored the rims on this, I purchased the AMG spoke rims look sharp mean and tough, The navigation system is great for the road trips, Handling is the best out of all the others also! You cant go wrong, it drives like a dream! I also own a BMW M3 and it handles and drives just as good on the street!

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  Problems, problems, followed by 10 grand - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Benznogood - August 13 - 7:23 pm

  This car is an absolute mess. 3 Months and thousands of dollars later I couldnt have bought a bigger lemon. Its falling apart. Supercharger out. ECU out. Having a legal battle with Mercedes over warranty work that should be done, but its not. Im not so much mad at the car. The Mercedes corporation is awful. What a bunch of no good tightwads. Its has been nothing but an absolute nightmare dealing with them. They refuse to honor their warranty. The car rattles, electronics go out. Oh and to fix ALL the problems they have the audacity to ask for ten thousand dollars. No way. I hope everyone else has a better experience.

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  2010 GLK350 - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By mercedes2010 - August 13 - 4:22 pm

  Great car mechanically however, if you are over 58" tall and weigh more than 180 pounds, not the car for you! After 13500 miles, the drivers side door rubber and interior molding is completely worn out from entrance and exit "rubbing"!! Poor quality materials as far as I am concerned. When taken and shown to the dealer he indicated this wear was not covered by warranty. Would expect this after 40 - 50 thousand miles but not from a new car, especially a mercedes. Stay aware if your an average person!!

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  Former CLK 500 owner - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Willem - August 13 - 8:23 am

  I traded my 2003 CLK 500 in on a CLS 500 and find the following to be better in the CLS: 1. rear entry & exit 2. better fuel consumption (7-speed vs. 5-speed gear box) 3. ride quality & handling (airmatic vs. conventional suspension) 4. steering (speed sensitive vs. conventional power assistance). The car is an abolute pleasure to drive on the highways & especially over the long distances we cover here in Australia. The styling attracts a lot of attention!

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  My disappointing MB S65 AMG - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Joseph Lieberman - August 12 - 11:00 pm

  My 9th and last MB. The mechanical problems are endless. AC is noisier than ever. Shifts like a truck. I had the transmission replaced. Now I have vibrations from there. Knobs and buttons are breaking. Speedometer is a full 20% off. Obviously not the German craftsmanship found in earlier models. I went to the factory last year and was astounded to see a huge number of unskilled laborers performing "Technicians" Jobs. I am very unhappy with this vehicle. I got a Mercedes LEMON.

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  A Great Car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Mr. Marques - August 11 - 1:10 pm

  This is my first ever own Benz the 2004 Black on Black AMG. It is my retirement gift and it is everything that I could ever ask for in a sedan. The only bad thing I can say is the gas mileage but hey when you can go that fast what the heck. Its a beast and when Im in heavy traffic on the Interstate I can hit the pedal and go yeah. So if you dare get one you wont be dissapointed. Its true to its form.

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  Dont buy used - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By mbpoorquality - August 11 - 7:00 am

  A used Mercedes, who brags about quality, should not need a new cylinder head at 65,000 miles. Running rough? When they do a compression test, dont be suprised if it is number 2 or number 4 on the passenger side. It will cost you $5000 and you can forget about warranty coverage. The electronics are way out of date. Save yourself money and frustration...do not buy used. And dont be misled when you get a call from Mercedes "corporate". It is some hourly employee who gets paid to tell you how special you are but they wont do a thing about their crappy motors. I will never buy another one. My AUDI Q7 is much better all the way around.

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  Great ride! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Seaeric - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I really like this car. It is fun to drive and has good acceleration. Its nice to see that Mecedes can build a quality car (in Germany) as compared to my 2003 ML 320 which is built here. BIG difference!

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  e500 sport - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hn - August 11 - 2:00 am

  waited months for this car. an absolute dream.love everything about it except the drive by wire brakes.