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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  New Owner - 2008 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By torontomichael - August 20 - 10:46 am

  Braking noise & quirks have been completely resolved from earlier E models. In fact,braking is excellent in terms of both "feel & response at any speed including into curves. Steering has now a really nice degree of response at both high/low speed. Fit & finish just beautiful. Although car not broken in yet, Im getting 10.8L/100km (about 27 mpg) highway without using cruise-control @ 120kph (75 mph). Extra power available through all speeds. Seat comfort very good. Paint & exterior fit integrity excellent. Quiet interior. Cargo area large & usable. Audio/phone/car computer controls on steering wheel easy to learn. Heat/cool systems accurate. 5 speed transmission nice. Road feel is there, but not harsh.

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  Should of Been Better - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Couldofbeenbetter - August 18 - 10:00 am

  I have had numerous problems with my car. Every electrical feature has had a problem. Got a new motor for my su roof, all light bulbs have been replaced several times within 3 years (never had to do that in my GMC), stahls, recieved new A/C, and the list goes on. I only had my car for 3 years and I had it serviced way too many times for a Mercedes. Customer Service was always good. But this year (2001)Mercedes did not live up to its reputation. Fun to drive but not worth the hassle of taking it in the shop every other month. Im too busy for that.

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  Nice but still unreliable - 2006 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Robb - August 16 - 10:13 am

  To purchase a 100+k car, you would think that it would be devoid of cheap plastics. Think again. Im also hearing fluctuations in the engine idle already, and I havent broken 7K miles yet. Yes, its still the status symbol to have, but one that is not as well put together as Id hoped. Im going back to the SC430 before I take an even bigger hit with depreciation. If I listen quietly enough, I can hear the dollar bills dripping under the car.

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  Very Good SUV - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By JT - August 12 - 6:16 am

  The 05 ML500 is the last MB suv I will be buying unless MB improves on the 06 ML and GL. MB cannot afford to build the 05 ML500 at todays material prices, hence the cost cutting measures on the 06 models. My main concern is safety. My wife drives the vechile on the interstate 40 miles each way and if I have to put a little extra money into maitenace in the 05ML its well worth it. A little noise and rattle is small price to safety of a loved one.

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  C230 Bag for not much Buck - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By kompressorking - August 10 - 12:12 pm

  Recently bought my C230 Kompressor w/ manual 6 speed tranny. So far so good. Its just over 100,000 miles, 1 owner and care for... it shows. Also purchased and very extensive 5yr/100k extended warranty too. Ive owned 72 cars (all different makes/models) and have been a BMW fan for ever. This is my 3rd Benz and its a pleasure to drive. 30+ mpg on the freeway @ 85+mph, shifts smooth and has decent power to climb freeway hills with ease, even in 6th gear. Traded in my Jaguar S-type for this and I have no regrets. I will say the Jaguar was a better looking car, but thats it. Ill update more as I add more miles...

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  My new baby - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By hench - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I have owned my 2005 SL500 for 1 week now. Traded in my 2002 M3 after its 3rd recall. Gave up some performance for a lot more comfort and luxury, not to mention that sweet drop top. I have gotten 10xs the stares and comments in this than I ever did in the M3. So far, I couldnt be happier with the trade. Traffic is so dense these days, I couldnt use all the power the M3 had 90% of the time.

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  So-So - 1996 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By PZ - August 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought a certified pre-owened 1996 C280 with 15K on it in 1998. In some respects I LOVE this car. The ride is phenominal, the interior is solid, and I feel like Im driving a tank.. (which I like). However, I have had a series of annoying problems since I owned the car. The Check Engine and ABS lights goes on and off for no appparent reason, the fuel tank had problems, the windows squeak...and these are the problems I can remember! The car has 70K miles on it, so we are looking to replace it before the extended warranty is up.

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  Very good - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By grboucher - August 3 - 2:00 am

  Too small storage space in trunk. Expensive service and parts when using Pompano Beach Mercedes location: more that 2.65 times the cost at other Mercedes location in Canada and 65% more that non-Mercedes repair shops who have access to genuine Mercedes parts.

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  Good Car, Little Problems - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By andrewk - August 3 - 2:00 am

  Overall this is an excellent car, but it seems to be bothered by small, nagging problems with reliability. Over 7500 miles several small problems (none are close to being critical) have come up, which is a little disappointing. But, compared to the positives (decent power, crisp handling, excellent brakes, solid feel, safety, luxury), the shortcomings (rattles, notchy 1-2 shift) are easy to overlook.

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  transmission problem - 2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By drs777 - July 30 - 8:06 pm

  i been around mercedes since 1968 starts with 190D, 300SDL, S420, S500 which is fair and now this S550 is worst in all 22,000 miles the transmission is slipping on me compared to my 2000 S500 besides a rough ride it gave me 99,000 miles before the strut broke, Mercedes should recall this problem i had to restart the ignition to get the transmission going