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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  1999 ML430 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By P Savage - June 21 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned various SUVs over the last 20 years, including every style of Jeep on the market, but this will probably be the last one I will ever need or want to buy. It was built to last and is extremely comfortable. The seating position for the driver is superb for on and off road adventures. The amplitheater style seats in the rear provide the passengers equally good view of the scenery. I hate having to break down and buy foreign, but nothing we americans make, and none of the small boxes the Japanese make come close.

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  1997 E-320 - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By P Savage - June 21 - 10:00 am

  Classy car with a touch of flare. Fun to drive around town and extremely comfortable on long trips. The trunk can swallow four large suitcases and there is plenty of room for five adults. I cant find anything I would change, and I cant think of another car I would rather own.

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  PERFECT SO FAR - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By RICH - June 21 - 10:00 am

  No problems after 12,000. powerful,comfortable and safe.

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  Not what you expect from Mercedes - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By hosuk lee - June 21 - 10:00 am

  I bought my car in Apr of 2001 thinking "yeah its alot of money for a car but its Mercedes!. Within a few months, I had to take the car back to the dealer because it was making clicking noise from windows and the remote key wouldnt work sometimes. I got it fixed. Then the trunk wouldnt open. I got it fixed. Now the lock (the piece that goes up and down) popped out completely and the lock wouldnt work again. Its just one thing after another. I dont think I will ever buy a Mercedes again. If I am spenging $37K on a small car like this, I want quality and durability since its definitly not the size of the car I am paying for.

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  Is the S-Class Fun to Drive? - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Chas - June 21 - 10:00 am

  Yes! The S-Class is a very nice car to drive.

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  Sinply Mercedes - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By sburrell - June 21 - 10:00 am

  Having once been a car salesperson I have driven quite a few. Dollar for dollar our C230 is probably one of the best. The auto transmission is a joy, all of the controls are right where you need them and after you aclimate yourself to the radio and other features the logic behind them is apparent. Im getting used to the abbreviated rear end but my wife loves the look.

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  One of the finest on the road - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Anand - June 19 - 10:33 pm

  As far as the car goes, even though its Turbodiesel,performance is excellent.The interior is the perfect size,leg,head,shoulder,andknee room is spectacular, and best in class Heated Seats and a Bose Stereo are a must!If God himself were incarnate,this would be his choice of car.Ride is silky smooth. Pepole look with eyes of jealousy when you drive past them with the car.It has gone to the dealership for oil changes, the battery was dead,so they replaced it free of charge.

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  2016 E400 - 2016 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hyman wong - June 19 - 5:08 pm

  Lease end on 2014 E350, like the car and decided to purchase the 2016 E400. Love the E400 for the speed and all the options, love the massage seat. Solid car and no problem. Go for the E400, the price difference to E350 is not much.

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  great - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mercedes owner - June 18 - 10:00 am

  Its a great car. Its not exceptionally fast, but i do get looks when im driving. The car is luxurious

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  Great Choice - 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By YAAAAAY - June 17 - 11:30 am

  Its wonderful that Mercedes-Benz made a large SUV, shortly after our last one gave up. A fantastic alternative to Cadillac, Chevy, and other brands with large SUVs. It works great in snow and rain. And overall very easy to drive.