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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  I Love My MB! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Dawn - April 27 - 12:36 am

  Ive had my MB C320 4Matic for two years now and I just love it. I live in Alaska and endure a lot of miserable winter weather with icy roads, deep snow and -40F. At first, I was concerned that the severe cold would have a negative effect on the performance, however, just the opposite. My car flawlessly handles all of the bad road conditions, provides a graceful, comfortable ride with superb handling. I will never own anything else but a Mercedes. My husband is frustrated that the car requires using Super Unlead Fuel, especially with these high fuel prices, but I think its worth it. Oh...I love the heated seats, too! Its a very safe vehicle and one Im proud to be driving!

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  A fine luxury sedan like it should be - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bill Staudt - April 25 - 2:20 pm

  Exterior Finish: Outstanding Performance: Excellent passing ability and on road performance is supberb. Interior: I especillay like the ultra quietness of the cabin and the comfort of the seats, a bit tight in the rear but the sculpted seats help my 6 foot 3 son find a comfortable space, quality workmanship and fine design (instruments and gadgets take a bit of practice) Engine: Ultra quiet and powerful, those few extra horses make the difference For the price, you have outstanding quality, power, performance, convenience, key safety features, security, electronic gadgetry that really works! A real driving/passenger pleaseing vehicle. An absolute winner and head turner. Thanks, MB

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  First Benz and I love it. - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By MARK98115 - April 25 - 10:00 am

  This is my first Mercedes and I could not be happier. This car actually makes me want to go and drive somewhere. It has the perfect balance of everything I want in a car - looks, performance, comfort and reliabiliy. I also find it very interesting that it has excellent visibility while driving at night. I assume that whatever the windshield is made of, it does a good job of filtering out the glare of oncoming traffic. Keeping in mind that this is a 4 door sedan, I five the car very high marks for the way it handles corners and country (twists and turns) driving, while the engine has plenty of power (and torgue) for passing, merging or just getting up to speed.

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  Mercedes S430 - 2000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By R Blake - April 25 - 10:00 am

  This the finest automobile I have ever owned. I am looking forward to the release of the 2006 late next year. My only problem with the car has been the electonics.I have had to replace the dash console twice. Another feature of the Mercedes is the dealer service. I have had the car serviced all over the eastern USA and each experience has been wonderful.

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  CLK + S Class = E500 - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Steve of Georgia - April 25 - 10:00 am

  After facing the prospect of a second set of tires on my 2002 CLK430 in less than 20,000 miles, I took a test drive in an E500. I couldnt believe how quiet, powerful and luxurious it was. Less than two hours later, I was driving my new E500 home. From the 6CD Bose sound system, to the adjustable suspension, each drive reinforces the fact that this is by far, the best car Ive ever owned. Negatives are few, but I really dont like the gas/temp gauges. The car is the best looking in its class, but I would recommend black, looks great from any angle!

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  06 C280 4Matic - 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By newowner - April 25 - 7:23 am

  I just took delivery on 8-21-05 and boy was I excited. The new Nano paint technology makes this car look like a jewel. Ive had several new cars in the past to include, BMW, Infiniti, VW, etc. and by far, Mercedes put their best foot forward this year. Before leaving the lot, the salesman told me to start the car so he could show me some features. I told him it was running the entire time we were talking. Unbelievely the quietest car on the market. Quality inside and out.

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  FANTASTIC - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By FANTASTIC!!! - April 25 - 6:03 am

  I traded in my 2004 Escalade because I was tired of driving a big truck everyday. This is my 9th Benz and compares great to my 2005 S500. Although smaller than the Escalade, I have more features.(my ML500 is loaded with every option available including the phone) Only problem so far is that I need a new air pump for the air suspension feature. Im told this had been a problem in some of the 2006 models. Overall, I would highly recommend. Im avid Benz driver and Benz got it right on the 2006 ML500.

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  An amazing car - better than expected - 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By nychieflb - April 24 - 9:02 am

  The c300 Sport is one of the best in class in my opinion. I test drove the Audi, Infinity, BMW, and Lexus in the same class, and while they all are excellent cars in their own right, the Mercedes is just it for me. The car feels solid, the handling is superior, the interior is top notch and includes so many things it took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to turn on the radio (J/K). The looks I get when driving around are nice, but the overall performance of this car has been everything I expected and more. Ive read some articles that the Benz is not what it used to be, but I dont see it. In fact, the reason it may not be what it used to be, is because its better than it ever was

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  Beauty & the Money Pit - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By raven11 - April 22 - 8:00 pm

  This was MBs attempt at wooing the younger generation to become MB owners. Unfortunately, once you get past the great looks and supercharged fun driving and look at what you got, you become very disappointed - cheap, ugly cloth seats, plastic pieces that break easily, cheap looking faux-carbon dash and frequent trips to the mechanic for problems they just cant seem to chase down because its all computerized. Just avoid them. I tried to love it, I really did but its just not reliable.

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  Great car when not being repaired - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Tom - April 22 - 6:06 pm

  This is my first and last Mercedes. Ive owned this care for maybe seven weeks. In that time it has been in for repairs on three different occasions, because the engine light was on. It is still in the shop and has been for the last 15 days with no end in sight. Told it is a gas problem, then no compression in one cylinder, then cam shaft slipped causing scoring. They have no clue. I own a Mercedes and ride the bus.