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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  What a Car! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AlinIndiana - January 16 - 10:00 am

  Ive had Lexus, BMW, Nissan, Lincoln, Corvettes, and wife currently drives a Jaguar X - Type. This C-230 Sport Sedan is the best car for the $$ spent of all. Fast, economical and fun to drive. Highly recommend it to others.

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  A FINE AUTOMOBILE - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By SIREN - January 16 - 10:00 am

  I have driven MBs since 1967. Every new model is better than the previous one. This is our sixth wagon. It is practical, economical to operate, and one of the most enjoyable cars I have driven. Have a E500 wagon on order.

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  More problems than you would expect - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By rsingr - January 15 - 4:26 pm

  I purchased 4 Mercedes in 2003, (2) ML500, (1) 500S and (1) E500 The ML500s had fuse box fans that squealed for a half hour in the morning. Serious brake and tire problems. Each ML required new tires at 25,000 miles. Each has had the brakes replaced twice in 46,000 miles. ($1,400 for brakes) At 53,000 miles the brakes squeal so bad they are embarrassing to drive. Each has been in about a dozen times for various repairs. Top dollar, inferior quality, design problems and miserable service. Avoid these automobiles.

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  Still going... and going.... and going.. - 1998 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By shakermaker - January 14 - 8:26 pm

  I bought this car from my Dad with 250,000km on a little over 1 year ago now. Its up to 319,000km (200k in miles) and its still moving just fine. The engine will be the last thing to go I think. The doors are getting a little rusty where the horizontal trim is placed. And I have to replace my brake lights a little more often than I think is necessary but thats it! This car has had 3 problems in its life. Water pump, 02 sensors, and tie rods/ball joints replacement. All pretty much expected after that many miles. Aside from that its been a dream to own and a pleasure to drive. I never worry about this car letting me down, Im going to drive it until it dies. Which I hope is never

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  AWESOME! - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By benM - January 14 - 7:30 am

  I traded an 08 BMW535 for this car, (I also own an 08 S5504matic) and I have to say I am really impressed! MB has done its work with the new E. It really does compare to my S class in so many ways, it is hard to justify the difference! This car gets looks everywhere you go and it does stand out! If you are in the market, buy this car...you wont regret it. Dont expect outstanding mileage, but with 700 miles i am averaging 23.3..not bad

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  Full of problems - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By PNW - January 13 - 9:46 pm

  My experience was not good at all, I paid more in repairs in one year than the car was worth. I bought it with 113k miles and within one year I had to replace the transmission, head gasket, neutral safety switch, ignition tumbler, blower motor regulator, combination relay. Im sure there is more that I am forgetting. Of course, the previous owners might have played a big part in these issues, but after reading the online forums apparently most have these issues. According to my mechanic the wiring harness also crumbles but I never waited for that and sold it to buy a Honda.

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  Better than my 325xi - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Casey - January 13 - 9:20 am

  I really like this car. It came with pkg.#2 and the communication pkg - plus iPod connection. Prior to this, I owned a 2003 BMW 325xi. The Benz offers a larger, smoother ride and looks sharp. Ive driven 1000 miles and like it more and more each day.

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  Wasted a lot of money - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By AllisonN - January 12 - 9:46 am

  I have had nothing but problems from this car! Every other month something else breaks. This car was a certified pre-owned. During the very first month I owned this car it was in the shop for two weeks with mechanical problems. The problems have ranged from different censors going bad, to brakes wearing out way too soon, and even the middle air vents breaking twice!

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  If you can afford it - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By todd - January 11 - 8:20 am

  This is a fantastic car to own. Sleek fast and a sheer pleasure to drive. Do not get the ventilated seats, makes them ride like hell. I didnt think I could pay $60 grand for a car and think it was worth the money. But I cannot wait to get another. Mercedes far excedes the customer service of the big 3. I leased mine for less than my Dad leases a 300c.

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  Happy New Owner - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bode - January 10 - 3:16 pm

  Recently purchased. Car was built in Stuttgart (Sindelfingen) in April 05. The new M272 engine (3.5 ltr V6) is a dream. Together with the 7 speed auto gearbox it has power to spare at any speed. Fuel economy is also good, I guess the 7 speed auto gearbox is one of the mean reasons (at 70 mph only 2100 rpm...) It also has the appearance package with airmatic DC suspension. On the roads around Houston with a lot of uneven road surfaces it just swollows it with ease, while giving excellent cornering capability due to the dynamic control. Really do not need to buy the E500, this car has it all, a dream to drive. This car was built by engineers who succeeded in building one of the finest cars around.