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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  Nice Powerful Utility Merc - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By guest - October 14 - 10:00 am

  Besides better economy of fuel what more could I ask for?

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  clk 500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By hani shehadeh - October 14 - 10:00 am

  This is one of the best vehicles mercedes ever built, it has a huge power compared to its weight. Its so fun to drive on high and low speeds.

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  500e apraisal - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By RPADOWITZ - October 14 - 10:00 am

  phenominal vehicle, makes all my previous vehicles drive like a bus, This includes my variuos Porsches, Beemers etc

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  CPO: MB certification/extended warranty: a $ saver - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ezshift5 - October 13 - 2:47 am

  The CPO certification has over 150 elements: a buyer should review this visually and with the Service Director. I did (and am sin problemas to date (18 months). The CPO route got me a C250 1.8 liter turbo 4 coupe - Iridium/Ash - with the odometer showing 23,000 careful miles. Plus I paid 2/3 of the MSRP and the first two payments were on the house (as were the first two 10,000 miles service appointments. Beautiful well-maintained vehicle. Fuel efficient (450 mile trip from our state capital to Monterrey (CA) and return calcd just under 35 MPG in 85% Interstate driving

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  first mercedes - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By galen - October 11 - 10:00 am

  This is the first Mercedes that I have owned. The quility is out standing and I plan to buy only Mercedes priduct from now on!!!

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  more fun than a roller coaster - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By mark reynolds - October 11 - 10:00 am

  More on road performance than you could ever need on the open highway. This car performs superbly at high speed. Whether conering or racing down a straight stretch of road this car will amaze you. A luxury ride decieves you as you gaze out the window thinking you are travelling at maybe 2/3 your actual speed. Slowing down is no problem given the braking system on this vehicle. If you want to make your drive as enjoyable as possible you must own this car.

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  Great Ride - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jmoore25 - October 11 - 10:00 am

  This is the wifes car but I drive it every chance I get. When looking for this car we drove just about everthing in the two door 25-40K price range and found the C230 to be the best value. We also liked the BMW 330 but could not justify the extra 10K to get the same options as the Mercedes. And for about the same price as the BMW 225 we thought the C230 was just a nicer car. With the 17" tires the suspension is fantastic, soft and quiet at cruising speed yet tight and stiff on country roads. Engine is excellent, does not suck you into your seat like my 01 Stang GT but that is not the goal of this car.

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  fastest 4 door sedan - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By LouM - October 11 - 10:00 am

  It certainly is the most powerful auto I have owned, faster than my 1990 ZR-1 and 1967 Shelby GT500. It is comfortable and quiet. I have obtained 22.5 mpg on the highway but it does enjoy a drink in town and will do about 13.5 mpg. I wish the navigation system were more like my Lexus SC430swhich is very easy to use. Guess I just have to accept that it is "German".

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  Bluetec is best Deisel ever - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By nwmind - October 10 - 6:26 pm

  Clean, strong and fast for a big car that gets 26MPG average and 35MPG on the highway. No odor or smoke ever, truly amazing. I have had it about a year now with no problems. I did upgrade to the 18" wheels for looks. The stock 16" ones were quiet and smoother ride.

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  Excellent - 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By penmgmt - October 8 - 9:00 am

  Two and a half weeks 1800 miles. Love iy -so solid yet nimble. Last car was 528i(2008). Love the tighter turning circle and ergonomics. Memory card with 510 watts is the easiest way to listen to music. Sports package with silver color is beautiful. First brand new Merc - bought in part because our 98 E320 is still driving so well. Got it for $41.8k too!