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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  Disappointing Car - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By koehnsf - September 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is very fun to drive when it is working. We have almost 30 pages of service records in 2 1/2 years. We tried to get Mercedes to buy this car back, but no luck. Then the dealer offered us well below retail on a trade in. It has been in the shop 13 times--phone has never worked right, a/c broke twice, fuel gauge, windows, rear screen, etc. etc. Our dealer (Stead Walnut Creek) had treated us with contempt. We have been told by a Lemon Law attorney that they fight every single claim to trial, which is obviously worth the effort to a small minority of people. We are done with Mercedes forever!

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  REVIEW - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By cristiannicolau - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive. Looks nice (european standards) and makes a great middle age crisis car for the ones not affording a Rolls or Bentley.

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  First 4 months - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By mudbone - September 28 - 10:00 am

  The first 4 months I owned this vehicle was nothing but problems. Came home one night and the trunk had magically opened. The interior lights were flashing on and off, controls would not work. Dealer had it off and on for two weeks. Door lock is set to open only drivers side door. Sometimes it unlocks the one door - other times it unlocks all four. Tilt wheel sometimes works - sometimes doesnt. I have had it 7 months now. Appears the problems have been fixed. Waiting for something else to happen...

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  Nightmare with E class - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tell Truth - September 28 - 10:00 am

  Last Saturday I was driving it back home with my family in it. We were talking about weather to keep this car after warranty. Just when I was about to turn right to my home, I felt I lost control of the steering wheel. I pressed the brake as we were driving at a downhill and realized that the brake is not working. The car stopped at the curb. When I went to fix the car a guy waiting there told me same thing happened to him.

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  The Perfect Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Juggluv - September 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is indeed perfect, or at least nearly so, however I have yet to find a flaw. The car is the best all around car, and has the power to beat just about every car on the road, with the exception to a corvette or somehting of an equivelent class. The E-55 AMG is incredibly fast, all the while having a 1st class interior, althouth I would prefer burl walnut trim over the black birds eye maple trim but other than that it is perfect.

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  good - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Lindsay - September 28 - 10:00 am

  good quality in all. Runs nicely and will suggest this car to others.

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  My CLK - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Frnak - September 28 - 4:50 am

  This is one of the most fun to drive cars I have ever owned. I have owned a TransAm, RX-7, Mustangs, BMWs, and Corvettes and I must say this car is way up on top on the fun factor. Enough power, outstanding handling, absolutely unmatching looks, and a real head turner. I love the car.

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  Worth considering - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Alex B - September 27 - 7:40 am

  Nice quality. Very comfortable inside. 6 adult sized seats. Really. Most other large SUVs may "seat 7" but they are not nearly as functional. Decent power, but the 3.5 litre could use another 15-20 horses. Good handling but sways a bit if driven hard. Styling is excellent from the front. Good from the side. Questionable from behind. Brakes are super-powerful - almost hyper sensitive to those used to domestics. 7 speed transmission is very high tech. Works very well. Good car, available with discounts - surprisingly good value. A true crossover thats properly executed. I think sales will pick up once people realize you can have performance, room, safety, style and utility.

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  Mercedes GL 320 CDI - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Ed Jette - September 26 - 9:00 pm

  I bought the 2008 MB GL CDI used with 14K miles on it. I have 50K on it now. I bought 4 Blizzak snow tires for it and it makes it go through any conditions like a tank. I had the air suspension replaced under warranty by MB. No other problems. On a ski trip to Vermont one night got down to -10 degrees. Failed to start without putting in a bottle of 911 diesel fuel treatment. Started right up after that with no more problems. What a ride, 2 adults, 5 kids loaded to the hilt with a roof rack and still got 23 miles per gallon.

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  What else can go wrong? - 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By walt - September 26 - 10:00 am

  After replacing almost all sensors, catalytic converter, conv.top oil cylinders, and $4,000 in charges, it looks like it will make beautiful planter!