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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  Nice car but not the best year of C240 - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Brendan - September 30 - 5:18 am

  Had lots of little quirk problems with this car, but overall it drove fairly nice and was comfortable. Definitely a timeless look. Electronics were always having some sort of problem. I recently upgraded to a 2005 and like it much better.

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  Balance shaft recall & reliability - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By joezep - September 29 - 7:10 am

  Theres a ballnce shaft problem where MB extended the warantee for 10 years on this $5,800 job. One dealer did not know about it. They still hit me $1,800 to replace defective intake manifold that was not covered. This car has a computer from hell giving false signals on light bulbs etc. Not nearly as reliable as my 99 E430. Truck ate about $10k in repairs this year. I expected a lot better quality from MB but this is true for all German cars lately. Why pay this kind of money when cars casting half are more reliable?

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  Hesitating....... - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By JWW - September 23 - 9:56 pm

  My first MB,an E350 Coupe; love the look, gas mileage and ride. 3 PROBS: #1-it unpredictably hesitates upon acceleration, at times leaving me in a dangerous position in traffic. Dealer updated the software, no improvement. Back in shop now (Oct 09), dealer has ordered new accelerator assemby; #2- Moon roof fabric liner has come loose, freezing the retractor; it has to be replaced; #3-blue tooth hands free has to be re-programmed frequently. Parts have to be ordered from Germany; still dont have the all weather floor mats I bought in July. Were not off to the best of starts....

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  Too many malfunctions - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By brad - September 23 - 8:00 pm

  A beautiful car inside and out, but too many malfunctions. The tires only get 10- 12,000 miles. Automatic transmission failed after 30,000. The front upper console light panel blew after 1500 miles. Passenger window motor and headrest motor have needed to be replaced. Moonroof cables needed to be replaced after 25,000. Good mpg (24-26), and very comfortable and quiet.

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  Love this SUV, but... - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Armani - September 21 - 4:06 am

  I bought this car 5 month ago. I was the second owner. The car was one of the top-notch options-equipped and one of the dream cars you wish to buy. I love this car for the way it handles the road and the luxury you barely find in American cars. Although it was the best car I rode so far, I am thinking of selling it for the sole reason of the gas mileage specially when it comes to $3.50 per gallon. One more thought, When you are driving a Mercedes SUV do not compare the feeling with an S class ride. Got it? It a tough rugged SUV with a Mercedes logo.

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  Great Stylish Ride - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Mercedes Buff - September 16 - 12:50 am

  After the initial bugs [SRS Airbag waring sensor issues, and electrionic key ignition excitering failure] were worked out after the first 10 months, the car has been a pure joy!

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  Great SUV - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By nycdriver - September 9 - 6:40 am

  I picked up my GL450 in June 2008 and it drives terrific. Smooth, quiet, and comfortable ride. Its really quite incredible. Feels solid but not overly large. Now for the cons - terrible fuel mileage (averaging 11 mpg in NYC), its a big truck so the drive isnt as sporty as my BMW SUVs.

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  Enjoyment - 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Nole - September 7 - 10:00 am

  After having driving a Chev Suburban for serveral years, the ML-350 is an excellent choice. All the comforts and extras. Fuel economy could be better but it still outshines the Suburban.

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  No all its cracked up to be - 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By hectorsoy - September 2 - 3:36 am

  Ive driven this car for 3 months and am not impressed. The tiptronic shifts for itself when I rev towards redline. The interior seems cheap. The volume controls on the steering wheel should be on the left side instead of the right. The car seems crude compared to the Acura TSX and BMW 3 and Lexus IS. My other car is the TSX and the tiptronic shifts much better and much more responsive. And it wont upshift by itself!! It is also difficult to coax a downshift when at medium rpms, this is no problem on the Acura. The instruments are archaic and difficult to read when compared to the Japanese counterparts. People who are happy with this car must have driven Buicks beforehand.

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  Nice car, a few quirks - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Goodoc - September 1 - 10:00 am

  Clk-320 is a great car, fun to drive. A little snug and low, but so are most sports cars. Dont like cup holder. Have blown two tires in 5 months, how?/why? Very smooth ride, quick. Excellent audio. Cant stand air system, too loud when on high, which is all the time in the summer if you want to be cool. Mercedes telecom system stinks compared w/ GMC OnStar. Cheep tire jack. No satellite radio. Love the car, but a tad disappointed.