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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  A Dream come true - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Don Theriault - May 27 - 4:16 am

  I had a Lexus SC430 leased for the last 4 years and I had been looking for a relacement. The Lexus was my first experience with a Non North American car. It was fun for a long time but did not give me the real sports car feeling. My Silver/red int. SL550 with AMG sport pack, and Pan Roof is a dream. Great power, very responsive, performance and handling is superior. The gas mileage is about the same as the SC430, but I have almost 100 more HP, much better handling and its more fun to drive. I had tried the Jag, the BMW 6 and the Porsche but settled on the SL550. After 4 months I know I made the right decision.

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  More than I expected. - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Original Owner - May 27 - 2:00 am

  After a few weeks of driving my new car, I thought, I hope I will always own a Mercedes. Talking to another 95 Mercedes owner that owned a number of cars including a new Lexus LS4xx, he brought up that same feeling about his Mercedes. At 60,000 the car was running better than other cars Ive owned with less mileage. It was more reliable, with very tight body. I was begining to think trade-in, when I brought it in for the 60,000 mile check- up. As I drove it away from the dealer, I was amazed that it drove as well as it did the day I bought it. At 75,00 there is still no reason to trade it in. It has been a great automobile, much better than I expected.

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  My Benz - 2002 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Jazzpad - May 27 - 2:00 am

  Very pleased with this purchase. I bought it in Chicago and drove to LA, and it performed well on the open road. Smooth ride and good gas mileage for its size. Has plenty of horsepower when needed.

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  No regrets at all - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RHS - May 27 - 2:00 am

  This is marketed as the "cheapest" MB available on the market, but despite its price, it is really fun to drive (6-speed manual) with excellent performance with fuel economy. The optional leather seats and sunroof sure adds up the cost, but its still great price for a car that has the style and performance not far from the CLK320, and looks much more interesting than the ubiqutous BMW 3series. I must add that when I test drove the BMW330Coupe, it has excellent performance too, but my wife and kids hated the ride as front and back passengers, which made them nauseated, so I settled with the Mercedes in which they tolerated well as passengers.

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  Driven Everywhere - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By C. McMichael - May 24 - 7:03 pm

  I drive this thing +175 miles a day, 4 to 5 days a week under all conditions and on every type of road way and I really enjoy the car. It has enough room for passengers to be comfortable, but is much more comfy for me than my last 2000 ML320. For a car to stand up to what I put it through and keep going with little to no maintenance is very pleasing. A great buy and I dont even care that I have to reach over 6 inches to adjust the radio instead of the steering wheel.

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  Love this car! - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  By jrcast79 - May 23 - 10:36 am

  Ive had my eye on this car for awhile and finally purchased last week. Really like the balance between peformance and looks. I test drove several of its competitors and I think this is hands down the winner.

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  CL55 AMG - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By Jennifer C Frantz - May 23 - 6:36 am

  This car is beautiful to look at and even more awesome to drive. It seats four adults technically, although the backseat can be a tad small for two good sized adults. I have had some minor problems with the vehicle however. Some material coming apart on the interior, a trunk lid that malfunctioned but was fixed, the door handle latch has become unattached. The response from Mercedes has been wonderful though.

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  Marquis - 1996 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By Marquis - May 22 - 5:30 pm

  When I bought the vehicle used, the previous owner did not take care of all the maintenance that was supposed to be taken care of. Despite that, I put money into all the maintenance that was supposed to be done, and it drives like a dream. The drive before the maintenance was nice, however now, it really drives like I expected.

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  Love my Diesel R Class - 2007 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Martha Pink - May 22 - 12:06 pm

  Love the comfort and drive of the R- Class. Especially highway driving. Enjoy the cruise controls. Love the better fuel mileage. Heavy car, little road nose. Comfort with four adults and two children. Very quiet engine, for a diesel, but powerful. Most people are surprised its a diesel, its so quiet. Would only own this car in a diesel, due to power and fuel mileage. Drives like a dream.

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  E430 Sport - 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By hgp - May 21 - 10:00 am

  Excellent solidity and ride. Very powerful engine and firm ride. Overall, excellent build quality.