Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885–1886) | Mercedes-Benz Group (2024)

The first stationary gasoline engine developed by Carl Benz was a one-cylinder two-stroke unit which ran for the first time on New Year’s Eve 1879. Benz had so much commercial success with this engine that he was able to devote more time to his dream of creating a lightweight car powered by a gasoline engine, in which the chassis and engine formed a single unit.

The major features of the two-seater vehicle, which was completed in 1885, were the compact high-speed single-cylinder four-stroke engine installed horizontally at the rear, the tubular steel frame, the differential and three wire-spoked wheels. The engine output was 0.75 hp (0.55 kW). Details included an automatic intake slide, a controlled exhaust valve, high-voltage electrical vibrator ignition with spark plug, and water/thermo siphon evaporation cooling.

The first automobile

On January 29, 1886, Carl Benz applied for a patent for his “vehicle powered by a gas engine.” The patent – number 37435 – may be regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile. In July 1886 the newspapers reported on the first public outing of the three-wheeled Benz Patent Motor Car, model no. 1.

More information

Forerunners to the automobile
Benz-Patent is Part of the World Documentary Heritage
Mercedes-Benz Museum: Visitor information

Long-distance journey by Bertha Benz (1888)

Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885–1886) | Mercedes-Benz Group (1)

Bertha Benz and her sons Eugen and Richard during their long-distance journey in August 1888 with the Benz Patent Motor Car.

Using an improved version and without her husband’s knowledge, Benz’s wife Bertha and their two sons Eugen (15) and Richard (14) embarked on the first long-distance journey in automotive history on an August day in 1888. The route included a few detours and took them from Mannheim to Pforzheim, her place of birth. With this journey of 180 kilometers including the return trip Bertha Benz demonstrated the practicality of the motor vehicle to the entire world. Without her daring – and that of her sons – and the decisive stimuli that resulted from it, the subsequent growth of Benz & Cie. in Mannheim to become the world’s largest automobile plant of its day would have been unthinkable.

Double-pivot steering, contra engine, planetary gear transmission (1891 – 1897)

It was Carl Benz who had the double-pivot steering system patented in 1893, thereby solving one of the most urgent problems of the automobile. The first Benz with this steering system was the three-hp (2.2-kW) Victoria in 1893, of which slightly larger numbers with different bodies were built. The world’s first production car with some 1200 units built was the Benz Velo of 1894, a lightweight, durable and inexpensive compact car.

1897 saw the development of the “twin engine” consisting of two horizontal single-cylinder units in parallel, however this proved unsatisfactory. It was immediately followed by a better design, the “contra engine” in which the cylinders were arranged opposite each other. This was the birth of the horizontally-opposed piston engine. Always installed at the rear by Benz until 1900, this unit generated up to 16 hp (12 kW) in various versions.

Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885–1886) | Mercedes-Benz Group (2)

The Benz patent motor car Victoria is the first vehicle with the double-pivot steering for which Carl Benz filed a patent in 1893.

Double-pivot steering, contra engine, planetary gear transmission (1891 – 1897)

It was Carl Benz who had the double-pivot steering system patented in 1893, thereby solving one of the most urgent problems of the automobile. The first Benz with this steering system was the three-hp (2.2-kW) Victoria in 1893, of which slightly larger numbers with different bodies were built. The world’s first production car with some 1200 units built was the Benz Velo of 1894, a lightweight, durable and inexpensive compact car.

1897 saw the development of the “twin engine” consisting of two horizontal single-cylinder units in parallel, however this proved unsatisfactory. It was immediately followed by a better design, the “contra engine” in which the cylinders were arranged opposite each other. This was the birth of the horizontally-opposed piston engine. Always installed at the rear by Benz until 1900, this unit generated up to 16 hp (12 kW) in various versions.

Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885–1886) | Mercedes-Benz Group (2024)

FAQs

Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885–1886) | Mercedes-Benz Group? ›

On January 29, 1886, Carl Benz applied for a patent for his “vehicle powered by a gas engine.” The patent – number 37435 – may be regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile. In July 1886 the newspapers reported on the first public outing of the three-wheeled Benz Patent

Benz Patent
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen was a motor tricycle with a rear-mounted engine. The vehicle contained many new inventions. It was constructed of steel tubing with woodwork panels. The steel-spoked wheels and solid rubber tires were Benz's own design.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Benz_Patent-Motorwagen
Motor Car, model no. 1.

What was the first car was the Benz patent motor car and patented in 1886? ›

In 1886, Carl Benz submitted the patent for his motor car at the Imperial Patent Office in Berlin. This invention is considered to be the birth of the automobile. It has changed and formed individual mobility worldwide to this day.

What was the first practical automobile in 1885? ›

The Benz Patent-Motorwagen ("patent motorcar"), built in 1885 by the German Karl Benz, is widely regarded as the first practical modern automobile and was the first car put into production. It was patented and unveiled in 1886.

How much did the 1885 Benz Patent-Motorwagen cost? ›

The Benz Patent-Motorwagen built in 1886, is widely regarded as the world's first automobile; that is, a vehicle designed to be propelled by an internal combustion engine. The original cost of the vehicle in 1885 was $1,000.

What was the German 1885 automobile? ›

However, historians generally credit the Benz Motorwagen, built in Germany by engineer Karl Benz in 1885, with being the first self-propelled vehicle designed around the internal combustion engine. This one-fifth-scale replica was given to Henry Ford by Daimler-Benz Company on Ford's 75th birthday.

What was the first American car? ›

That year they hand-built 13 vehicles, making the Duryea the first-ever commercially produced vehicle. Another first – a Duryea car was involved in the first known auto accident in America, when New York City motorist Henry Wells hit a cyclist with his Duryea.

What's the best first car? ›

The easiest car to recommend to just about anyone looking for a good first car is the Honda Fit. Affordably available, solidly reliable, extremely space-efficient, and easy to drive, the Fit carries on the tradition of lightweight Honda hatchbacks from the EG and EK Civics.

What was the first car brand? ›

Peugeot was founded in 1803 by Jean-Pierre and Jean-Frédéric Peugeot and is therefore the world's oldest car brand. Originally a family-run grain mill, Peugeot manufactured saws, steel strips and springs for watchmaking before turning to bikes in 1830 and eventually cars in 1882.

What did the first car look like? ›

Benz's first car had three wheels, looked much like an elongated tricycle, and sat two people. In 1893 Benz patented double-pivot steering to provide more control — arguably the first car safety feature. The first cars didn't have windshields, doors, turn signals, or even a round steering wheel.

What was the top speed of the Benz patent motor car? ›

Benz unveiled his invention to the public on 3 July 1886, on the Ring Strasse in Mannheim. Benz later made more models of the Motor-wagen: model number 2 had 1.1 kW (1.5 hp) engine, and model number 3 had 1.5 kW (2 hp) engine, allowing the vehicle to reach a maximum speed of approximately 16 km/h (10 mph).

What is the most valuable Benz? ›

That title belongs to the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, which was sold to an unnamed private collector in 2022 for the stunning price of €135 million (approx. $203m at the time), which makes it the most expensive car ever sold - from any brand.

Who created the most expensive car? ›

Let's start at the top, with the most expensive car ever sold at auction. The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe Prototype sold for $142 million in 2022. RM Sotheby's sold it on behalf of Mercedes-Benz at a private auction held at the carmaker's museum in Stuttgart, Germany.

How much did the oldest car in the world cost? ›

A vehicle billed as the "World's Oldest Car" has sold at auction for the surprising price of $4.6 million, breaking the previous record of a price paid for an early-era automobile. The vehicle is the oldest car in the world that still works, and is powered entirely by steam.

What was Hitler's vehicle? ›

For instance, the Mercedes Benz-770, also known as the Großer Mercedes (large Mercedes), a luxury car built by the company from 1930 to 1943 was the preferred choice of ride for Hitler.

Which car is the most expensive in the world? ›

Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Droptail is the world's most expensive car, priced at $30 million (Rs. 211 crore approx).

What did cars look like in 1885? ›

The major features of the two-seater vehicle, which was completed in 1885, were the compact high-speed single-cylinder four-stroke engine installed horizontally at the rear, the tubular steel frame, the differential and three wire-spoked wheels. The engine output was 0.75 hp (0.55 kW).

What did Mercedes-Benz make in 1886? ›

Benz Patent Motor Car: The first automobile (1885–1886) Mercedes-Benz Group > Company > Tradition > Company History.

What was the first Mercedes-Benz invented? ›

It began with the Motorwagen. Carl Benz was awarded German patent #37435 for a three-wheeled, self-propelled vehicle with a rear-mounted single-cylinder engine. In that instant, the world became smaller, and it set the course for our legacy of innovation that continues to this day.

What was Mercedes building in 1886? ›

In 1886, Carl Benz patented the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, a three-wheeled auto that more resembled a horse-drawn carriage than the cars of today. A rear-mounted gasoline-fueled engine powered the car, made of steel tubing, woodwork panels, steel-spoked wheels and solid rubber tires.

Was the Model T the first car? ›

Table of Contents. The Model T, sold by the Ford Motor Company from 1908 to 1927, was the earliest effort to make a car that most people could actually buy. Modern cars were first built in 1885 in Germany by Karl Benz, and the first American cars in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1893 by Charles and Frank Duryea.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rob Wisoky

Last Updated:

Views: 6432

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (48 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rob Wisoky

Birthday: 1994-09-30

Address: 5789 Michel Vista, West Domenic, OR 80464-9452

Phone: +97313824072371

Job: Education Orchestrator

Hobby: Lockpicking, Crocheting, Baton twirling, Video gaming, Jogging, Whittling, Model building

Introduction: My name is Rob Wisoky, I am a smiling, helpful, encouraging, zealous, energetic, faithful, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.