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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  my dream car ! ? - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By muffin311 - March 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is an absolute dream to drive but the quality of the interior is not what a 100K should be. Very cheap feel wnd sounding. Ride is MUCH noisier than I thought it should be. Gas milage @15mi/gal around town. New back body design makes it look like a cheap car and not identifiable as an expensive Mercedes SL. Although I always buy SL Mercedes, this will be my last unless they make the car LOOK like 100K

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  nice looking but lame - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By gip - March 22 - 10:00 am

  i cannot imagine a Mercedes can be so usless, it is comfortable but, yeah these things flip over. I mean my 89 mercury sable station wagon runs better. If the car came with a recipt I wouldnt have it tommorrow.

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  C320 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By DVP - March 22 - 10:00 am

  Having owned a 3 series and driven most other sports sedans, I think this car is underrated by the BMW-biased media. For everyday driving, city/rural/sports/casual, this car has an exceptionally well executed blend of competence, composure, speed and safety....without the attitude of the BMW sales & service staff. Add the "Evolution" package rubber and rims from the C230 for even better handling and appeal.

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  How can they build at this level? - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By grdow - March 20 - 11:16 pm

  I traded in my car this weekend. I had owned a 2006 430S 4matic for 4 years. In that time it was trouble free for 2 periods of 6 months. Traded it in with 80k which was limited due to the multiple issues that we encountered. First the tire pressure sensors went...3 times. Next the turn signal control stick disintegrated. Next the heated steering wheel control had the same issues. The washer fluid reservoir cracked ($450). I went through a 1/2 dozen bulbs and each time a bulb goes out it disables the electrical system. The ultimate issue was the continued shaking when the car went over 50 MPH. Apparently there is a known issue with the struts, but MB will not own up to it. Never again!!!

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  Moving from BMW to a Benz - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By donquijote - March 20 - 5:16 pm

  Wanted to share my experience. Recently sold the E46 330ci and bought a W204 200CGI and found these useful features that the E46 dont have: - Seat memory for both driver and passenger side. E46 is driver seat only. - Power adjustable steering column and head rest with memory. - Seat has power adjustable lumbar support. - Reverse auto-tilt of passenger-side mirror can be adjusted and memorized. - Head restrain will lock during impact. - Seat belt automatically pulls tight after engaging. - Automatic cabin light has a button to enable or disable.

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  German Tank - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Steve - March 19 - 11:06 am

  I love this car. It feels like its been carved from a solid block of steel. Absolutely nothing rattles. Ive had this car for a year and nothing has gone wrong with it. It has great acceleration and it handles the road well for an SUV. If anything, the steering is too lively when you first drive it. I get 22 mpg on the highway (80 mph)and 16 mpg in the city. Mine is black with the 19" wheels and the dealer threw in tinted windows. The car looks so much better in person than it does in photographs. I test drove a Lexus, Land Rover, and BMW. I liked this SUV better. I have read other people here complain about brakes, but my brakes have been fine. Its done everything Ive asked of it.

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  So far so good - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By lee - March 18 - 4:08 pm

  Bought it two months ago. So far so good. Visited dealership due to torn front seat leather. They took care of it without question. Maintenances cost like oil change and stuff are on the high side but expected. All I can say the ride is smooth like driving it on butter, on my luxury not sport version of E class.

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  no more mb for me - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By fed up - March 18 - 10:00 am

  just got rid of my e320 (bought 7/2000). similar problems as everyone (electronics failure, back window failure, cheap plastic issues, light bulb blowing frequently, windshield wipers replaced often, brake pads replaced often, transmission issues, bad dealership experience-no loaners if not purchased at the service dealership in boston, false alert from computer, etc, etc, etc

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  Beautiful Car! - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By gurudev - March 18 - 10:00 am

  Picked up my E320 4Matic a few days ago. My wife and I fell in love with the car when we first saw it at the dealership and we still feel the same after having gotten the car. It handles beautifully and the interior is really comfortable. The styling of the car still gives me goosebumps. Our dealer installed NAV system did not work right so the salesman came and picked up the car, took it to their repair deptt, fixed it and dropped the car off 2 hours later. MB service is terrific.

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  E-500 - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By tef - March 18 - 10:00 am

  cant believe the fuel efficiency of a car with this horsepower. average 28 mpgs while cruising