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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  Should have bought the Wagon - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MoLo - April 12 - 9:16 am

  Nothing but problems. Great concept but pretty poor quality. I bought this with the understanding that quality issues were resolved, unfortunately (for me amd MB) not the case.

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  It is far faster and better than 530i - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By caazllc - April 12 - 3:50 am

  I currently own a 745li and an s4 and just picked up this E350 for the long drives. The car gets beautiful gas mileage for the amount of power it puts out. It has all of the perks from Mercedes, it is far better than the 525 or the 530. I had a 545 and it was a horrible car build quality and the lack of options on a stock 60k car. The Mercedes is far better in every aspect of build, quality, and power.

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  I am enjoying my first MB very much! - 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By oldsnwbrdr - April 12 - 2:36 am

  I just turned in my 2007 Acura TL. I loved that car, it had great styling, performance, and gas mileage (in the last two regards, it still beats my new Benz). But as far as refinement is concerned its not even close, the MB blows away the Acura. I test-drove a TSX and couldnt believe how much cheaper it felt than the Benz (despite the difference in price, my best Benz lease deal is only $14 more per month than my best TSX offer).

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  Diesel Quality - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By John - April 10 - 4:53 am

  I purchased this car sight un seen or test drove it, because it was an incredible deal. I had it shiped from Dallas to NJ and auto Transporters .com did as promised. the car is driving great and has plenty of power and room and I have achieved 36 mpg although I am getting 32.5 avg. When i first got it i was getting 27 to 29 because of a bad tire, and transmission was low on fluids and leaking. once i fixd the tire and had a tranny service done leak stoped and Mpg jumped up to 32.5 mpg. I had an e430 with heated and leather seats this car does not but i have dogs and the MBTEX is better for me. As of now all is in working order i have put 4000.00 miles on it.

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  Great car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By arturo - April 10 - 4:10 am

  The CLK 320 coupe is great. I love the car and have enjoyed it from the moment I bought it. I took it up to Mendocino and it took the ride like a pro. The twists and turns on the ride were a breeze.

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  Great car - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By arturo - April 10 - 4:10 am

  the CLK 320 coupe is great. I love the car and have enjoyed it from the moment I bought it. I took it up to Mendocino and it took the ride like a pro. The twists and turns on the ride were a breeze.

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  G500 is amazing - 2003 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By stuff - April 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is really great. It has everything you would ever want

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  very pleased - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dodjie - April 10 - 2:00 am

  very powerful, user friendly gadgets.

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  ml320 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By mblt - April 10 - 2:00 am

  MB dealership very friendly and informative, no pressure to buy like other dealerships. Went from Explorer to ML320 like night and day, 320 rides and handles like a dream, very solid and secure no rattles like explorer.Plenty of safety features and comforts,killer Bose stereo.Third row seat actually is very well designed and useful alot better then i thought it would be.

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  Amazing Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Nickinday - April 9 - 7:26 pm

  A car you will love