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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  Will not wear out - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Darby - January 2 - 4:23 pm

  This car will not wear out, took 95,000 miles to wear out battery, over 100,000 on second set of brake pads. Original trans, exhaust system. Org leather seats. Still looks good, just buzzes along , about 28 mpg on the road.

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  Automotive bliss. - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jim Fischer - January 2 - 3:20 pm

  After owning an 2003 E500 since new, what a pleasure it is to have no problems to report. This E550 cabriolet is everything we hoped it would be and more. The sport setting is awesome for the extra rpm between shifts that really let you feel the power. A pleasantly tuned exhaust sounds just right with the top down. We chose the premium leather and multi-contour seats for comfort. Most of all, my wife fell in love at first sight, so we are both happy. Highly recommend this car and the V8 is worth every penny. J.F.

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  Great fun to drive car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Kawl - January 1 - 5:06 pm

  I bought this car about a year and a half ago and have loved driving it. It is a great strong car that always has a little more power when you need it. It is a solid car that continues to impress me. Things do break on the car but it seems to have a backup for everything. The sunroof sometimes stops but pressing the button in a different direction makes it work, then works later just fine. I also had a crankshaft sensor malfunction but was less than 150 dollars to fix. So far great luck with the car and it still looks brand new.

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  Clean, efficient, large - 2009 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MS - December 31 - 5:53 pm

  Purchase this since we needed something relatively large - but were very concerned about getting a gas guzzler SUV. So far, so good - this SUV is a great solution. Getting 24+ on the highway and plenty of room and comfort. No quality issues so far, but it hasnt been long - initial build quality seems outstanding.

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  What a Car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Cains10 - December 30 - 4:56 pm

  We have had this car for three months now. It is a terrific automobile. It is surprisingly sporty for being a six. We traded in a Lexus V8 (which was also a terrific car but six years old). It is a great trip car and gets very good gas mileage on trips, 26-27. The easy entry feature is wonderful and so is the Harman/Kardon stereo system. The car just feels solid and sporty. We especially like having stability control, traction control and the eight air bags. Should make for a save car as well.

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  Worst Car On The Road - 2004 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Peter The Great - December 30 - 8:23 am

  Ive had the S430 4matic for nine months now and with only 31,000 miles on the odometer, I have been to the service department 31 times for various mechanical and electrical problems during that nine months. Merecedes has lost its glory, as a German national told me, pleople in Germany prefer Japanese Cars. After my last two Mercedes (both were defective), Im giving Lexus a try, "Hello LS 460"

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  Your Moneys worth - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By 1.8T_in _ATL - December 30 - 1:20 am

  After a couple of years with the car. I am extremelly satisfied with it. Power delivery is fantastic. I used as my daily driver the first year and it now is my second (weekend) car.

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  At 100K miles, hello headaches - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Frank G., Lexington, KY - December 29 - 7:36 pm

  Once these cars age, they eat parts like a kid eats candy. I bought mine a year ago at 90K miles and it has been a constant headache and very unreliable. Always heard MB cars are good to 300K miles, but doubt that now. I thought I was getting a bargain, but its not. Most parts online are reasonably priced but take days to get; local parts stores charge as much as twice what online parts dealers get, but often dont have what I need. I do much of the work myself and luckily have a reliable independent shop that works on European cars to handle what I cant; if I didnt do much of it, I couldnt afford this car. These are complex cars and you pay extra for the experience it takes to fix them. Plus they can have hard-to-solve problems. For instance, I have a voltage "leak" that drains the battery if not driven in two days, and the shop cant figure it out. Mercedes dealers are notorious for charging seriously outrageous prices for parts and service (most car dealers make more money from service than new car sales), so get ready for a shock when they hand you a bill. My car performs very well, is super comfy and the tunes are awesome ... when I can drive it. I love it when its working right but so glad I have a second car. In short, its a real love/hate relationship. Buyer beware.

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  Just Had To Get It! - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By abacomike - December 29 - 2:22 am

  Traded my 2010 E350 in for a 2011, in black. Couldnt resist the 2000 loyalty cash, 3 years free Mbrace services including stolen vehicle recovery assistance, plus 1.9 % financing for 66 months. This 2011 has the LED daytime running lights, and the vehicle is much quieter than my 2010 was. Ride is also smoother, at least it seems that way. No problems with the 2010, and no problems with the 2011. I felt that the shifting was a bit buffeting, but when I told the service manager, he said that would go away after a few days when the computer gets used to the way I drive. Well, he was right - unbelievable. Still the best car on the road for the money.

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  mercedes 2002 cl500 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By greg - December 27 - 2:30 pm

  Fun car. Lots of power. Reliable. Purchased extednded warranty. I do think its needed and we have used it. Car is very comfortable & quiet. Excellent safety features abound. Very solid performer. Enjoy