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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  SL500 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By wind beneath wings - January 2 - 10:00 am

  It is the best car and the road. It is fun to drive. Great speed. We love the new look of the SL500 too.

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  Best family vehicle - 2009 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By coladin - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Coming from an XC90, an exceptional family vehicle, we are now back in a car, along one, but a car nonetheless. Tonnes of space, great ride and handling considering its size and the mileage is amazing. Whereas the XC90 struggled to get 240 miles for 19 gallons of gas, the R gets an easy 380 of pure city driving. Plus, it has great torque and very driveable and people always seem to notice it, it is very handsome with the AMG package and 19 inch wheels.

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  Dream Car (almost) - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By EZ MIKE 420 - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I have loved my S55 for 5 years! Perfect combo of ultra-luxury and high-end performance. I was lucky to get the car with a Starmark warranty, which covers the car for 7 yrs/100K miles - The car has had close to $10K in warranty work since the standard warranty expired. This is a VERY expensive car to maintain - the AMG parts are much more expensive than the S500 parts and many dealership service departments dont have the know-how to fix these cars properly. I found a dealership that kept mine running quite well. I will probably sell mine before the warranty expires to avoid the high cost of maintenance. It will be a sad day when I hand off the keys. Its been a GREAT car!

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  A bit pricey, but worth it! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By coruna1 - December 29 - 4:33 pm

  Great car, very confortable, feels safe. Interior quality is great, plenty of space for a family. Automatic truck is the best for shopping. The bluetooth should have been included with the car paid $400 additional. Great car, top of the line.

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  Der Kompressor - 1999 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Jerry - December 28 - 8:56 am

  My sport model C230 has been a joy to own and drive. I especially appreciate the availability of torque across the rpm range provided by the supercharger. Road handling in the mountains is up there with the BMWs and it tracks like its on a rail on the freeway. Irregardless of the poor reliability ratings MB has racked up in the auto reviews, this one has performed with almost zero problems after a couple of new car warranty fixes. Paint, trim, interior have all weathered the last six years beautifully. My only complaint was the low mileage on the first set of tires. After switching to Michelins, tire has been good. I get around 25 mpg in town and over 30 freeway driving.

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  The only one - 2003 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By svisquerra1 - December 27 - 2:00 am

  Heavy rain on New Yersey tpk, and no traffic, so perfect, it handles good, never drive a better car, love it!!!!

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  Maplewood Import - 1994 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By plysne - December 26 - 10:00 am

  Bought a Starmark 500SL 1994. After sale there was a defective AMG wheel. Service Dept. agreed it was defective prior to sale but management REFUSED to give any parts refund or shared compensation. Matter of fact wanted to replace the wheel at a 200% premium to where I bought it from Tires plus over the net. great service from this company. Delivery in 3 days. Electrical problems showed up 2 months later and again Maplwood refused to honor any discount on servicing. I would NEVER purchase another auto from this firm.

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  Mercedes Benz S500 year 2001 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  By peter Ulrich - December 26 - 9:33 am

  This car in the new generation of electronics, after almost 10 years of driving still excellent.

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  thebest - 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By apoolio - December 25 - 2:00 am

  have 20000 miles on my ML no problems

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  Driving CLK class car IS exhilarating - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Love my CLK - December 24 - 2:00 am

  I always loved the CLK models, especially with AMG bodywork, upgrades and notable performance is something that I have always marveled. I really liked the 208 body, but the newer 209 just gives me chills. These cars are the complete package for me, weighted more towards luxury than sport. I opted for the 320 (over 500) because I would lose my license, be in jail and ultimately would not be practical for me, as I cannot take advantage of the modest 3.2 liter engine in my current daily driving conditions. I have had a few minor repairs during the warranty period. And I have noticed though, each time I (or the dealer) do any maintenance, the car drives notable different, improved & better.