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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  Mercedes has become Chrysler! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By No more Mercedes - May 25 - 9:00 am

  Mercedes used to be one of the best quality, most reliable, a durable cars. Since they merged their purchasing / procurement function with Chrysler and decided to globalize themselves instead of being 100% German, the Mercedes quality degenerated to the level of Chrysler or even below. I love the design and the functionality of the station wagon. I love driving it. But the QUALITY? My car within 30,000 miles had 2 catalytic converters, 2 (!) alternators, engine gaskets (ouch) and several little bottoms replaced. 2 door knobs and parts of 2 doors were replaced. The headlights after 50,000 miles are no longer possible to turn off, electrical problem with several thousand dollar repair cost

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  FIVE YEARS AND HAPPY - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By FIVE YEARS OF FUN - May 25 - 5:40 am

  Bought this car in December 2004 for my wife and we have enjoyed the car a lot. The car has been pretty good as far as problems. If I were thinking of buying a used one I would check the service record of the car and if it did not have a problem history, I would buy one. I have found in driving Mercedes Benz it really depends on if you get one that is made good or one that is a lemon. I have had both in my 30 years of Mercedes. They are very expensive cars to buy and to maintain but style and good looks and the Mercedes emblem never have come cheap.

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  last of the bank vault Benzs - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By jr17 - May 25 - 4:52 am

  I know my MBs trust me on this. The 96-99 E class is by far the best years of the E class. DO NOT buy a 2000 or newer. I have 215k on mine. Paint is starting to fade a bit, a little rattle in the Cat Conv other than that, it drives and runs like new. Chrysler ruined the name from 2000 to like 2007 or roughly around there. They tried to infuse their technology into the E class at this time and failed miserably. A 2000 E class is a K car with a MB star on the hood. The 99 is heavy, solid, and feels German. Its a little underpowered, and dont buy a 4matic if you are worried about gas. If you value your familys safety, want to to stay out of trouble, and want to look cool, buy a 99

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  Ongoing safety issues with my 2014 E63S - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By 83zx83 - May 25 - 1:42 am

  Real safety issue unresolved after 6 months and 6000 miles. My wife and son will no longer get in the car, forget about them driving it. Wild/out of control bucking when accelerating after cold start. May be limited to this specific car/vin. I am trying to resolve with MBUSA and my dealer - frankly I dont trust the car anymore

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  Mean, Powerful Car @ Luxurious Ride! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Raider J - May 24 - 8:33 pm

  I test drove the BMW 550 and Audi A6 before deciding to buy the new 2010 Mercedes E 550. The Benz is just as fast as the BMW and Audi but more luxurious,detailed and refined. The V8 engine gives you incredible power that moves you fast! The new aggressive lines on this car is sporty and mean! Toss in the Benz luxury interior and tank-like secure drive and you have a mean sports car with a cool drive. I just love looking at its angry grill......it just screams "Get out of my way!" Mercedes hit a homerun with this new car!

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  THE REAL LOW DOWN - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By SCR8POBOY - May 24 - 10:00 am

  JUST A AWESOME VEHICLE IN IT SELF CONFIDENT STRIDEFUL AND FULL OF LUX. JUST LIKE BEING IN THE LIVING ROOM OF MY HOME COMFORTBLE AN SATISFYING, ABLE TO COMPEHEND THE CAR IN A EASY SAFE MANNER WHILE DRIVING IT, I ENJOY EVERY THING ABOUT IT!

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  Chrysler quality- M Benz price - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Rocky Mtn Madness - May 24 - 10:00 am

  This SUV has been very disappointing.The quality control is lacking. Numerous shop visits without satisfaction and a dealer who cannot get it right. I will never buy a MB product again.

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  first MB - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By nadz - May 24 - 10:00 am

  worth the money for an entry level MB. Driven 8,500 mi. w/ no problems. classic MB style. exhibits the attention to detail you expect from MB. very good performance if you understand youre buying small 4d sedan for status. this is not a sports car, so dont expect that kind of performance.

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  The Definition of an Automobile - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By PetLife - May 22 - 3:30 pm

  This is flat out, undeniably, the definition of fantastic motoring. Ive owned BMWs, Audis, Porsches, Japans best, Italys best, and even other Mercedes, but the CL55 takes the cake. The whole cake and all the frosting. Even the frosting flowers. Its great looking, comfortable, sporty, safe, easy to drive slow or fast, and goes like a hell cat with its tail on fire when summoned. If you have the cash and youre looking for the complete package, look no further than this car. No excuses and dissapointments here. Youll thank me later.

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  2000 Mercedes C280 Sport - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ealtieri - May 20 - 8:10 am

  Purchased the 2000 model because the Exterior design is exceptional plus always wanted a Mercedes. I purchased a one owner vehicle from Florida with over 100,000 miles, crazy right?! However the car looks no more than four years old and I have no concern that it is going to break down. If you do the standard A/B service and take care of the car you should have no trouble.