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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  owner - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By emilio - March 15 - 2:00 am

  from the time i purchased this vehicle i experienced steering wheel vibration which was coming from the vehicle tires. on 8 different occasions the dealer has not been able to resolve this vibration problem. the tires are wearing abnormally on the sides and at 5k miles the dealer replaced the whole set of tires. till this day i am still encountering this same problem of constant vibrations and abnormal tire wear.

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  s500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Runandswim1 - March 15 - 2:00 am

  The S500 has a lot but as compared to other luxury vehicles I have been in recently, the s500 seems to be primative. The front seat I find to be very uncomfortable and hard. When I have to go on long drives I choose a differnt vehicle. However, when arriving at a function the s500 still turns heads.

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  A True Benz - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AtlantaJim - March 14 - 5:46 am

  After driving the 3-series and IS 250, the Benz just offered more of a "best of all worlds" package. The BMW is a better performer and the Lexus has a touch more luxury, but the Benz has the soul of a sports car with the comfort of a luxury machine. The list of standard features is impressive, and Ive never seen a car turn heads like this one.

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  Dont let the bad reviews throw you... - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Hondo - March 13 - 2:00 am

  People who purchase in this range tend to be pickey. Ive had mine for three years now, and while the 99s did have niggling little problems, all in all this is an extremely fine vehicle. It has spirited accelleration, corners with grace at higher than expected speeds, has a cavernous hauling area in the back, and an excpetional ride. And it IS a Mercedes. Im very pleased with mine, and would highly recommend you give it a close look. Mercedes has loaded a tremendous amount of GOOD ENGINEERING into this vehicle. Read their brochure, and this will all become very clear. Well done MB.

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  Love it - but not perfect - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By WilliamV - March 13 - 2:00 am

  Overall I love this car. Performance is very good, handling great, interior suprising roomy for the size. More than that, it makes you want to drive it - often and hard. Eats up highway miles, great fun to toss around. The ride is a little stiff. Steering is stiff. Controls are stiff. Not bad, but an adjustment if youre coming from a more pampering car. One serious complaint - more rattles and squeeks from the roof area that I would expect from a Mercedes.

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  Great car but often broken - 2008 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Lin - March 11 - 11:10 am

  We ordered this car new and love it. However we feel compelled to get rid of it before the warranty is over. To summarize the ills: the car has spent more than 6 weeks in the shop over 3 years. Fist the battery was changed 3 times due to faulty computer module. This model had to be changed 3 times. The engine oil pan leaked at 30,000 miles and they had to pull the trans to fix that. A wheel bearing failed. Brake rotors had to be change and now the engine is in "limp" mode and we dont know why. Routine maintenance is very expensive ($1,200 at 40,000 miles).

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  To be young again! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Speed - March 7 - 10:00 am

  Wish I was 25 again and had this car. Who would think old old mans Mercedes could eat unsuspecting Camaro/Mustangs for lunch. Most of them wont even look at you at a stop light because who would race a Mercedes? When the light goes green and you wave Bye-Bye, it is such a trip. Is the car perfect? No. But I have never seen one yet that is. Is the car FUN to drive? ABSOLUTELY!!!

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  C230k 4dr - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Fun and Sexy - March 3 - 9:06 pm

  A very cute and aggressive looking car, with MB AMG appreance. Interior is a little bit tight inside, but its a small car. So far so good with out any problems. Gas mileage is about 22mpg.

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  Loads of fun, but at what price? - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Speedmaster - March 2 - 10:00 am

  This car is fun to drive, but a sturdy performance car its not. Nothing but problems since day one of ownership. First the suspension had to be reinstalled, as the car wasnt level. Next, all of the brakes and tires had to be replaced due to severe vibrations at speed. Then the supercharger had to be replaced due to excessive noise. To top that off, a couple of interior cosmetic items had to be replaced as well. All of this under warranty of course, but the depreciation of this car is outrageous. I guess thats the price you pay.

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  Supercar for Corolla Money!! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By yellowabarth - February 28 - 4:46 pm

  Just purchased my 5th SL and might be the best. Full option 2002 model with 152000 kms and appears tight as a drum. The FSH and one lady owner might help, plus she never lowered the roof during ownership!! Love the Radar Cruise and cooled seats here in Dubai, had 2 Sl55s 02 and 04, but felt they always wanted to blast down the road and noisy. Loved them but never in love with them. I think for just short of £7000, there is nothing better to play in the Sun.... Everything works, except the Pulse seats (common fault ) will see what the dealer estimates next week, but was not a deal breaker. You need to have it inspected, especially the hydraulic susphension before you buy as I did.