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:

• 

  S 430 - John Donnelly - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By john donnelly - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Great Car, great look, strong, sturdy, has class

• 

  Worst Benz EVER - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Ovi - April 11 - 10:00 am

  An ML500 Insp.(03)loaded. At 1,500mi the "check engine" light came on, Im told the gas cap was not tight. The problem persits. Took it back wks. later & dealer changed something. The light went off & later came back on. Called dealer & car kept for two days. I picked it up & light was out. Two days later on, take it back & it is now the catalytic converter. (at 4000Mi). Ask dealer & MB rep.what about when car is out of warranty? The MB rep & MB service mgr. say theyll "monitor" vehicle. I went home to find out next a.m. in my garage a leak (washer fluid).

• 

  What a fantastic commuter car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By midouhas - April 11 - 10:00 am

  I have 10,000 miles on my first benz and absolutely love my long commute now! The car has been a dream to own and I am blessed to ride in such luxury to work each day. I researched several other entry level sedans and drove the audi A-4, BMW 3 series, Lexus ES 300, Infinity G35 and kept coming back to the Mercedes C240. There was no comparison in my mind that the Benz was far superior to the other autos. The price is so reasonable for what you get. The dealership actually let me take the car home for two days to test it out! I have been extremely pleased with the performance and comfort of the C240!

• 

  the c classes best - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By rajendra - April 11 - 10:00 am

  well this benz is great when i go into the belin turnpike heads turn and the noise coming out of the exhaust sounds marvolous it truley is a great car i drive it evey day and it has 9450 mles still i cant belive it has great milage i give it 2 thumbs up and the rims wows the only thing to say i even name my screen name after it cant stop saying how great this car is the body kit makes your c32 stand out from the other cs i put it next to a c320 and it looks so differnt and when you press the gas the car wants to move if you truley want a mercedes benz get a amg versoin more importantly a c32 amg with 349 horsepower your head will spin.

• 

  Too many trips to the dealership - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By joemale - April 11 - 10:00 am

  I love driving this car: powerful, grips the road, beautiful look. But geez, Ive been to the dealership about a dozen times: 3 times for the radio, replaced keys twice, electronic problems, suspension problems. What a pain!!!

• 

  Best value - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Benson - April 11 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car 3 days ago and Im writing the review so its about the shopping experience. I was looking for ~$30,000 car. I test-drived BMW 325i, Infiniti G35 sedan, Acura TL, Eclipse GTS, MB C230/240 sedan, and C320 sports coupe. The C320 sports coupe gives me best handling (only 325 is close) and very good speed (G35 is faster, but handle sucks). Its the most lux car in the group. I love the panarama sun roof and the sports wheel. So far, its like a dream come true.

• 

  What I would expect for the money. - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By JohnathanP - April 11 - 10:00 am

  Bought this new 2003 E320 sedan for my wife. I wanted a safe reliable and nice car for her to drive. The car falls nothing short of spectacular. We love the style both in and out and the car comes with more features you could even use. We only have had this car for a month now so cant really judge realiablity now. Ride is great, handling is excellent (we didnt want a sprots car). Handles better than any high end american auto sedan and we have had a Caddy, Lincoln in the past. I currently own a 2003 540 BMW and the MB is nicer all around.

• 

  Wow! - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By stephenkohl - April 10 - 8:51 pm

  Have been driving my new 2014 E550 Coupe for about a week, and it is remarkable. I switched from a BMW 535 and there is no comparison. The E550 is a rocket, rides like a dream, and contrary to some places write, I feel much more connected to the road. The interior is gorgeous, exterior is sleek and beautiful, and the technology is fantastic. I was a little worried that the Lane Departure, Blind Spot, and other systems might be intrusive, but frankly, make it even more fun to drive. Gas mileage is about what you would expect, though the on/off feature should help, and is virtually unnoticed when stopped. Sound system is also first ate

• 

  My first MB - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mike - April 8 - 3:10 pm

  First off, Im an admitted car nut. Get all the mags, spend too much time on car lots late at night. When deciding on a new car, my priorities were safety, AWD, engineering, style, and value. This one has it all in spades.

• 

  Fun and powerful - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By sidpinhas - April 8 - 2:10 pm

  Terrific automobile. Only dissapointment is the technology used in the navigation system. It is at lease two generations behind Lexus.