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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  Sarahs Review - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Sarah - March 30 - 8:03 pm

  This care is perfect. It is heavy for a car, and it drives SO smoothly. It seems to hug the road. I absolutely love this car!

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  The Black beauty - 1997 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By JRW - March 30 - 10:00 am

  The S 420 is an excellent example of German made excellence in motorvehicles. The comfort level is impecable and is one of the smoothest rides i have ever ridden in. The car is perfection at its best.

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  Nightmare tri star - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dcs - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Do not buy this SUV, what do you get for a 40K SUV: plastic, problems, bad customer services, everything could go wrong will go wrong from the engine to trans, window, etc. Shop around for your money, dont pay for the name

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  C320C - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By BMWowner - March 30 - 10:00 am

  What a great car!!!!!!!!!

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  Non riot hearse - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Susie Meader - March 28 - 2:30 pm

  This vehicle is excellent. A great family vehicle without owning another SUV. Has enough room for a family of 6. Quite comfortable for adults as well. I kind of wish I would have gotten the R500 just because of the zip, but once you get going, it is great. I have nothing bad to say about this vehicle.

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  Long needed - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By RPM - March 28 - 1:26 pm

  Love the car. Fun to drive, very comfortable to ride in. Power when you need it. Found it to be great in the snow.

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  Great car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By halle - March 27 - 12:56 pm

  This is the absolute best car. Its better than anything Ive ever driven. It is worth the price.

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  Best of the best - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Gino - March 26 - 12:46 pm

  I have had this car for 4 years and this is the best car I have owned. No problems,just regular maintenance and oil change. It is very fast and classy. This is what the Benz should look like. The newer E-class is ugly and suffers poor reliability - not a true Benz! Ask any Benz mechanic which is the most reliable model ever built and he will tell you the same thing. A Class of its own!

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  E 55 born to drive - 2002 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By E 55 Fast - March 26 - 4:16 am

  I first drove a Benz a couple of years prior to owning one, and I never thought I would have so much fun! I looked at and drove BMWs, Audis and a few domestics, but the E 55 blew them all away! With 355 bhp (according to factory specs) youll be attaining 0-60 in just under 6 sec. Its a true rocket ship that I just have a lot of fun driving. True, a bit expensive on repairs, but this thing is worth the effort! Go get one and enjoy! BCR

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  C Class Sedan - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ljpzap - March 25 - 11:24 pm

  Just came out of a 2012 Infiniti G37 and picked up the C-300 4matic with sport package +other options. Car is definitely pricey once optioned out. Car rides great, but no comparison in power to the G37. if you want to push the car again it does not compare. It is more luxurious than it is sport even with the sport package. Has great styling overall. However for the price you can not sync your key fob to the memory seat system. MB does not do it. Infiniti and Lexus do. Just stupid that you have to hold a memory seat button on a 50k car to get your seat in to position after your wife drove the car last. Overall though still a great car. Better value is the Acura TLX with Tech Pkg.