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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  High Standards - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jdash - October 31 - 7:06 pm

  Car has luxury look and feel, even after 6 years. Runs smooth, tracks well, and remains quiet and comfortable. Great car with lots of class!

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  Mercedes C230 Hatchback - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Mike in California - October 30 - 12:36 pm

  I bought my 2002 Mercedes-Benz C230 with 11,000 miles on it and have put 20,000 on it already. It is an awesome car. Its fast, fun to drive, and I have never been treated better at a car delaership. Services on the car has been free because of its warranty. I see no reason to go back to Acura or Honda. This car beats front wheel drive cars and is a truly safe vehicle on the road. It has lots of automation to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. This is the best car that I have ever owned!

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  Great Car - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By HN - October 29 - 7:40 pm

  This is my first E as well, and I absolutely love this car. It has plenty of room but handles like a smaller car, and the interior and exterior design are perfect. Highway mileage is terrific, but stop and go city mileage is not so terrific, but acceptable. This is an all around great car.

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  converted - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Newmerc - October 28 - 2:00 am

  It was difficult to research this vehicle once I found it. With such a limited production, there seems to be little press. The dealer recommended test-driving with the top up to experience the quiet, solid feel of the car. Its like driving a hard-top. Dont confuse this with a convertible sports car, though, it is more a well mannered car with a top that folds down. Im hooked on driving again.

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  a lemon - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By albert1 - October 28 - 2:00 am

  an absolute disaster...Ive driven lexus for the past 10 years and decided to try the CLK. It was in the shop constantly, the door fell off, catalytic converter, gas tank problems, you name it. I traded it in for a lexus.......good riddance!

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  Quality issues - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By ShadowNeko - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I have a 2002 C230K for around 1.5 years. It has been in services for number of times: . 5 times for SRS light. . 2 times for ESP and BAS lights. . 2 times replacement for CD-changer. . 1 time malfunction front-end stabilizer bar. . 1 time broken instrument button. . 1 time loosen weather strip. . 1 time replace all rusty wheels fasteners. . 1 time broken speaker mesh cover. . In addition, a very rust break caliper but refused to be replaced.

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  All About The Experience - 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Scott - October 26 - 5:20 am

  I bought the car new and have driven in all types of conditions. It is the most amazing car I have owned and I have owned a lot! It is a sports car, racing car, convertable (Of course), city car, road car, sedate car or beast depending on what you ask it to do. It is stealty because its little brother the Sl500 or SL 550 is common and other drivers assume that is what you are driving until you turn on the speed. What a surprise in their eyes through your rear view mirror! This car is a total experience - fun. Only caution is "it eats tires." If you want performance expect to change them every 5,000 miles or so. Performance not important, why did you buy this car?! I want a Ferrari599F1 next

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  Choose wisely, and youll be rewarded. - 1995 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By pentaconsix - October 25 - 2:00 am

  With the youngest W124 now at 15 years old, youll have to be picky and discerning when buying on. I found a 95 with only 78,000 miles on the odo. The car has been a joy to drive & own. Try to find one where the previous owner has already done the major repairs: trans rebuild, head gasket replacement, wiring harness replacement. Mine had all those items already done. The looks of the W124 has aged very well, looking neither vintage or new though. The engine performance is still good by todays standard, but not as peppy as cars all seem to accelerate with more pep. My E320 has been reliable and starts up with just one turn of the key every time.

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  Awesome - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Maxpane - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Better than an X5.

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  Electronic problems - 2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By sjane - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Purchased used in 2003;with 34,000 miles on it. Now has 115K miles on it. Have spent over $4000 in repairs since 2007:"ABS visit workshop"lite keeps coming on-requiring repeated visits. Replaced power steering unit in August. CD changer in trunk and temp & time displays on dash quit just over 1 yr of purchase.