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:

• 

  G-Wagon - 2005 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By Braingears - February 23 - 10:10 am

  This truck can go anywhere and through anything. It can also tow my 32 foot boat without a thought. I also like the fact that it is solid and NOT made of plastic. It is made to go 1,000,000 miles.

• 

  Satisfied Owner - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By irongate - February 22 - 3:20 am

  I have 53k miles still enjoying the SUV. Tires are not MB fault, read about that excessively like MB makes the stupid tires! Michelin and others dont make a 19" speed and weight rated tire for this SUV so forced to buy brands like Continental that only last 27k miles. Same problem for a Cayenne or other performance SUVs with big wheels. Side mirrors need to be bigger. Get the real leather for excellent comfort. 3rd row seats are the BEST of any SUV, comfortable with great leg room for a trip, knees are not at your chin like others! park sensors,stereo sound, gas mileage for big SUV is terrific. Get 20 to 21 mpg driving hard in town 24 mpg on hwy going 75 mph, 27 to 28 mpg at 55 mph.

• 

  Best SL Ever - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By TWIN - February 21 - 8:43 pm

  The automatic hard top makes this car a pleasure to drive in our cold Chicago winters. No more drafty canvas tops. The car has impressive handling and an interior to die for. I can get my golf clubs in the trunk with top down unlike the Cadillac XLR. Everything about this car is refined. If I needed more speed, the SL600 does 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds; however, that would just get me in trouble. The ventilated seats and keyless go are great options. This is no doubt the finest roadster available short of the SLR.

• 

  100% Love my S63 - 2011 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By fzero - February 19 - 8:22 am

  I have every option available on this car. I have owned S-Class Mercedes for the past 25 years. This is my 1st 63 and I will never buy another 550. The performance package is an important option. The car does require oil about every 1000 miles. For this configuration its normal.(my R8 is every 500)

• 

  i love it - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By john smith69 - February 14 - 10:00 am

  the best car for this price

• 

  American All-Star - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Zach Vannoy - February 13 - 10:00 am

  After coming from 2011 "American" Escalade (Made in Russia)I have realized that I have been missing out on the Best SUV for the last 4 years. Since 2006 I have been buying a Cadillac Escalade for me, and a ESV for my wife. The GL provides a replacement for both. The third row is larger then the ESVs yet the car itself is smaller then the regular Escalade. Its far more easy to navigate around town, provides a better ride,has more passing power,and looks better in and out. Test drove the new Infiniti QX and the Lexus Lx. The third row seat in both of them were far smaller, and didnt handle as good. The Qx did have a nicer center row r, but was inferior elsewhere. Very Pleased overall.

• 

  Best Car We Have Ever Puchased - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Bob Salvatore - February 13 - 10:00 am

  My wife and I looked at BMW,Lexus, Audi, Jaguar and Cadillac. We test drove each car twice, on separate occasions. We recommend you doing this. It does talk a lot of time but if you are spending $50,000 plus, we think it is worth the effort. We consider the exterior design, the comfort of the ride, the interior design, the trunk capacity, and the interior noise level. The Mercedes E350 we test drove was our final choice and we are very happy we chose to purchase this vehicle. It is elegant, quiet and very responsive We thought the BMW was a nice car but the ride was not comfortable and the steering stiff. The Lexus was nice, but it did not have the luxury interior we wanted.

• 

  One beautiful car - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By luvmybenz - February 12 - 8:53 pm

  I purchased by CLK 500 in August after two years of research and test driving other cars and I must say I have never experienced anything like driving my CLK 500. The stares I get from other drivers (especially from BMW owners). Every time I drive the car I get challeged to race and it is usually from the BMW owners. That is a sign that this is an exceptional car. As for the driving experience it is truly orgasmic. The seats hugs you and the ride is so smooth. I love the accelaration when entering the freeway. I get nothing but compliments on this car and am truly happy I decided to purchase it.

• 

  Best E Class Yet - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By krudolph - February 10 - 12:36 am

  This has been a great car. Nothing has gone wrong with it. It is fantastic in the snow. I average 16 to 17 mpg around town and 25 to 27 mpg on the highwaway. Not bad for a car that can go 0-60 in 5 to 6 seconds. Im going to get a 2007 model.

• 

  Great Ride - 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Michael in Bothell - February 9 - 1:59 pm

  Classy car with great economy, comfort and dependability.