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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  Awesome - 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class
  By pothmer - November 7 - 4:58 am

  Happiness is AMG. Love this car. Never had an AMG before, so cant compare it to other AMGs. Had a BMW M3 (sweet car) and this is better. (RWD super cars are undriveable in snow. Unless you get high-performance snow tires--then they are tanks...except that one time when you hit throttle on a wintry turn, rear wheels slide out, plant themselves into a curb and the axle breaks). But Mercedes has 4matic (which is a technical term 4magic; or "hand of God" if you dont believe in magic). The CLA45 has 4matic, 4 doors, 355hp and 332 lb ft. Torque.

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  ML 2002 review - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By cdw - November 6 - 8:10 pm

  Great SUV. Goes absolutely anywhere. Never let me down. Only problem is quality of finish and quality of details. Some exterior trim finish is poor quality. Lovely, beefy SUV. Overall have loved this vehicle.

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  great little suv, BUT..... - 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By gby - November 5 - 6:15 pm

  We own a 2013 rdx tech and I must say its a great value ,But after buying the 2013 glk350 It surely puts the rdx to shame in refinement.The only thing that bothers me is that the glk could use a bit more space to compete better instead of forcing people to go for the ML. Also, there is nothing like the smell and feel of leather and its a 2100 option on the glk. It doesnt work for me that a luxury brand like mercedes would come up with a gimmick like mb tech fake look leather so they can ask for 2100 for something that should be standard in this brand. The smell of the mb tech is not pleasing and smells cheap ( sounds weird). We sill take the rdx for shopping due to more space .

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  Effortless Power, Unique and Rare - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Chuck - November 5 - 4:16 am

  This car is outstanding! I have now owned the C55 AMG for over a year and I still am not tired one bit from driving it daily. The power is absolutly supurb, so great it can stay dead even with my Dodge Viper! The main reason I bought the C55 is not only because of its monstrous 362hp V8 but because it is very rare and unique. Today I still have not seen another one on the road! When you buy this car do not expect people to be taking pictures of the car out their windows, But Once in a while you will notice someone checking out the car. For the most part this car sleeps under the radar until you "OPEN HER UP" and let all the people around you hear the cars V8 roar.

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  Top Down, Fast Fun - 2001 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Bnatt4321 - November 4 - 7:46 pm

  This car is great. I decided it was time to have a convertible again and this CLK430 has not disppointed. The performance is incredible (although it does drink the gasoline) and it has been very reliable. The ride is very tight and taking corners at speed is like riding on rails. Two downers about this car: 1st: unless you must have NAV, dont bother as the screen is very small and its not very user friendly. 2nd: beware of parking lot curbs as they like to eat up your front spoiler. With that said I bought the car with 40K miles on it and now have 55K. It has been a true pleasure to own and great fun. I am very pleased with this Mercedes.

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  Love my C 300 - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Larry - November 4 - 3:43 pm

  I stepped down from two ML 350s I miss all of the space that I had and the room in the rear seats. Three people in the rear is very craped, but it is a much smaller car. Performance is great. Great acceleration and handling. Gas mileage is a real treat aft3r my ML 350. Getting in and out is more difficult but I can deal with that. I got the LED headlights becauser the standard headlights were very poor. Quality is like a MB should be. Truck quality is inferior. Back up mirror is way below my ML. but it works. Waning systems is inferior but lane changing warnings are excellent. I do not like the run flat tires but that is the way it comes. I have a three year lease and am already thinking that I will go bigger next time for more room for passengers. No problem with butttons or cotrols. Bluetooth was a problem for a while but I think that problem is solve.

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  They Made It Even Better - 2007 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By TS - November 3 - 5:16 pm

  The addition of 50 HP has made a huge difference in this car. I owned an 05 SL500, and the second you touch the gas pedal, you can feel the difference. This car moves, and handles perfectly. There have been slight alterations in the body style -- mostly to the front grill -- and the interior feels roomier. It remains a car for the ages.

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  e320 - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ronka - November 3 - 10:00 am

  nice car - runs fine - is ok to buy used - proud owner

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  Bob,s MB - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By thebobM - November 3 - 10:00 am

  Minor mechanical problems at first (auto trunk opening, auto leveling device). Only major is brakes go out at 23,000 miles all covered under warranty. Good local service. Head room much less than older S class models.

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  Sheer Delight - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By JDSeattle - November 3 - 10:00 am

  I traded a beloved BMW-540i for this car and have not had a moments regret. I love the handling, tight chassis, ergomonics in the cabin, but most of all the smooth power the V-8 pours out on command. Everything is refined about this car, even in the way it delivers almost unlimited power.