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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  Reliable - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By E320W sport pkg - May 23 - 12:36 am

  So far I have had no problems. I bought it used from an authorized MB Dealer so I have the Starmark warranty and a bit of factory warranty left. I have not encountered any problems other than regular maintenance repair. I probably could have bought one for about 6K less from a non MB dealer, but I did not want to risk dealing with headaches.

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  Worth the Money - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Scarmen - May 22 - 2:00 am

  As expected, the handling and road manners are very good. Quality of interior is very high, and my entire family loves this vehicle. It rewards the driver with excellent road manners and confident road feedback. Have had no problems and the Mercedes dealers have been great.

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  The SL55 Rocks! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By RickSL55 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is truly awesome! The combination of power and luxury is unmatched by anything else on the road. I sold my Lexus LS400, Honda S2000 and Mercedes SLK32. Dont need them anymore!

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  Happy ML350 - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By TRIX - May 21 - 12:33 pm

  After a rocky start with my dealership, my car is the best purchase I have made in years. Love the ride, and stability of my ML350. Its gas consumption has been ok also.

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  ML350 thoughts - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By bee - May 20 - 4:46 pm

  Previously owned a CLK320, the ML handling is of course not as quick as a tiny CLK, (I guess a small car will beat a large car every time in the curves) however it feels more luxurious and has plenty of power. Gas mileage is one third less than the CLK, seems like Im putting gas in it constantly. Best car I ever owned but has more quality issues that the CLK. Hood was not on properly. rug on passenger side not under door frame properly. gas cover came off while I was just washing the car. Little things were problems.

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  E55 AMG the ROCKET - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jay982004 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Best car ever built!

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  Torque, not HP - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By goose007 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I have had a Jaguar and a Ferrari in the past, and driven the Porsches of friends. I was attracted to the new Mercedes "monster car" because it broke the 600 HP barrier. What I have found is that the HP understates the perfomance of the vehicle, if you can imagine that. Between 2000 and 4000 rpm there is well over 700 ft-lbs of torque and the driving experience is like nothing I have ever felt. Now, this is a heavy machine, and you can feel it. But the ride is still "tight", the seats well designed to hold you, and the controls very accesible. The interior touches are nice, but this is still an SL500 with a monster engine and monster brakes.

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  Benz Rules! - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By J Meisner - May 20 - 10:00 am

  What a Car! First Benz and am regretting didnt step up years ago. Genuine pleasure to drive, quiet in and out. Average fuel economy since start 30.3 mpg at average city/hiway speed of 53 mph. 0-60 in less than 7 sec., plenty of torque, incredible for a diesel. Would recommend this car to all.

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  E class - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By unknown50v - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I love the E class but sometimes its hard to fit in it becuse Im 610 in height. I love the luxsury of the car but I wish it went faster I would love to bring my E 500 down to the track but I cant.

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  A Winner - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By Dewey - May 20 - 7:23 am

  As a previous owner of BMWs, I must say that Benz has made a major step forward in terms of design and performance. The CLS500 is a fun machine to drive and the body design is outstanding. Whether sitting still or rolling along, it draws a lot of admiring looks. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this automobile.