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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  No "B" pillar - ya gotta love it! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By dperryman1 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Great car. I had a 99 CLK320 and there is no comparison with this car - more performance and refinement. Only slightly negative so far is the ventilation system which seems to add a lot of engine heat.

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  Best used car I ever bought! - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Damsel - July 31 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car as a big, safe alternative to my SUV and Ill never go back! There were over 100k miles when I bought it and its never given me one minutes pause. Ive only had to do routine maintenance and hope to drive for a few more years.

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  A Fine Automobile - 1999 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By scottison - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Purchased a Sport model with all options (except panorama roof). Absolutely love this car. It drives like a dream, is extremely solid, and its style is aggressive while classic. I recommend a Sport model -- the AMG accents and wheels give this car a "muscular" look that finishes it perfectly.

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  M series ALL WHEEL DRIVE - 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By PSM - July 31 - 10:00 am

  excellent vehicle except fuel efficiency is average suv

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  One of the best in the world. - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Adame - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Great car! Classy, fast , and reliable. Timeless styling, and its a Mercedes!

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  Fun toy - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tinku - July 31 - 10:00 am

  Had it for six months. Smooth accleration. Sped upto to 90 several times without realiing it.However, in the beginning it felt like I needed excess force on the accelerator (compared to my Camry). That problem seems to have gone.Love the voice activated telephone and CD changer.The telephone system is overpriced. Dealership people installing the phone system were not knowledgeable enough.

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  Almost two months in..... - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Golfdog1 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  I have had my 2004 E-320 almost two months and it is running fine. I didnt get the $2000 phone. The folks at RBM said that I should be ok using my cell phone because others have used theirs and had no problem. Just got back from Savannah and the ride was great! A couple of glitches (1 the feature to open all windows and moon roof at once dosent allways work and 2) the passenger side mirror doesnt allways turn down to show the curb in reverse. No mechanical problems (knock on wood).

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  C230 Sedan is Awesome! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By JLO1578 - July 31 - 10:00 am

  I love my 2003 C230 Sedan, it has all the style and luxury appeal of Mercedes- Benz but a price tag that I could swallow. Great Performance, styling and comfort, my only regret is thaT I didnt get the Cold Weather package (heated Seats)....

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  An exceptional SUV - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By New_Merc_Fan - July 31 - 6:40 am

  The new ML 350 is a pleasure to drive compared the previous model. Very aerodynamic with good acceleration. Interior styling is awesome. Road handling is fantastic and it handles turns exceptionally well for an SUV. Navigation system is great. Its been a great experience so far.

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  smart and sporty car - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mani Bala - July 31 - 2:33 am

  Everything is fine except for blind spots. even with blind spot assist, it is hard to see on the sides vehicles approaching, as the doors are set higher than usual and mirrors are a bit smaller. The driver seat is set too low, does not raise or tilt backwards far enough to see the road better. Interior room is about the same as new C-class but center console on C-class is set too high limiting the space for the arms. just a few bugs.