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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  Excellent - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By great car - January 10 - 10:30 am

  Had a BMW in college. Have had nothing but MB since I have grown up. BMWs a little too yuppy for me and for who I see in them. Love this classy, safe, beautifully enginereed automobile. Wish they could get as reliable as Infiniti or Honda and as professional and efficient in the maintainance area too. However, still, driving up in a Mercedes does make a statement and this car is no exception and has a very quiet, well made cabin and its design for safety and engineering is superb. Im pretty sure all the rest of my cars will be Mercedes especially if they can get as professional and efficient and fair in their maintainance and reliability as the Japanese.

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  2006 E320 CDI - 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Roy I. - January 9 - 12:56 pm

  I did a lot of research and realized that the I-6 CDI motor was one for the ages. Iron block, naturally balanced, dependable and durable. I had to purchase a "pre-owned" 2006 since I live in the great state of California. I arrived and I could not be happier. My father has owned many MB cars over the years, this CDI is as close to a perfect car as he and I can imagine. It is the perfect size, seats 5, it has outstanding acceleration and curising speed capability and I got 35 MPG over a 226 mile trip (including several acceleration runs). On that 226 mile trip I used just a smidge over 1/4 of the tank. The range left is 400 miles. I am looking forward to this car for years to come.

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  Mercedes ML500 SUV - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By dazilla - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Great SUV that will last forever. Pricey but worth the money over the long term. Just cant beat Mercedes quality!

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  S350 Hidden Treasure - 2006 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By rrbenz - January 7 - 12:33 pm

  I test drove an Audi A8 and thought, "this is nice". I test drove a VW Phaeton and thought,"this is nice". I drove the S350 and thought, "Wow, this is great!" This truly is a drivers S-Class. It is ahead of the E-Class in style and space and the shocks can be adjusted for Sport or Comfort. The seats are the best and the car feels completely done right. I didnt want the 7 speed automatic. Except the radio and Nav system which havent caught up to my wifes Toyota. But thats a small inconvenience for such a first class experience-from soft door closers to the best ride in the industry, this is a car for the driver (and passengers) to be pampered and rewarded for choosing the S350.

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  Very nice car - 1999 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By ynot - January 6 - 6:43 pm

  Bought used "E430 sport model" on ebay. 44K miles. Drove it home. I regularly take 2K+ mile business trips up and down the east coast. I love it. Excellent build (not quite as good as my old 126, but still very nice). Very fast, but not obnoxiously so. Great sound system, excellent AC, handles well, stops well, cleans up nicely. I would buy another.

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  AMG, name says it all - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Steve - January 4 - 1:20 am

  I got it used in Queens. couldnt resist its styling in and out and when i took it out for a test drive, it was amazing. Superb handling and performance at the same time. I cannot be more satisfied with this car other than for its gas mileage. I just did a drag on it and got an impressive 5.02 sec 0-60mph! always room for improvements. Thinking about few Kleemann parts here and there. Overall, lovin it everyday since the first day.

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  They just keep making them better - 2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By poppy42 - January 2 - 8:52 pm

  I traded a 2008 E350 Sport for a 2012 E350 Sport primarily to get the more fuel efficient engine and an updated Command System. The Command System is a huge improvement; but I have been somewhat disappointed in the fuel efficiency. The EPA projected a 25% improvement (16/24 vs 20/30), but I have seen just a 10% improvement. Mind you, 19/29 in normal driving is not to be laughed at, but not what I expected. On a 1700 mile road trip which included several hundred miles of mountain driving, I did average 31.7 mpg. I would say that this car is more comfortable than the 2008. This is my fourth E Class and they just keep getting better.

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  Long Time Benz Owner - 1995 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By TerryN. - January 2 - 10:00 am

  I have owned over 20 Mercedes and this is the finest I have had to date. From the E430, SL500 to an S500. This S320 has phenominal power and excellent gas mileage. At a current $250 a gallon at the pump, this is a dream especially considering its weight. Has 145,000 and not a problem yet. Rock solid as always. The S Class is the finest motorcar money can buy. It blows my Rolls into the weeds.

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  my review - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By manfish - January 2 - 10:00 am

  my son says it is not and old ladies car. so that was good enough for me.

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  I agree - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By mmnbmeyes - January 2 - 10:00 am

  Before I purchased mine, I came to this site.I got the car with the premium pk (C5,C1-elect seats,plus the cd player). It was really worth it to get these extras. This car is sooooo easy to get around in. Big on front seat comfort but easy for parking. So far really hugs the road-will see what winter brings.My last car was the XJ8 Jaguar- so I was used to luxury and speed plus troubles with service. So far I really like this car.