On January 29th, we celebrate the 120th anniversary of a groundbreaking idea that emerged 120 years prior, an idea that revolutionized personal transportation and unshackled individuals from the limitations of fixed railway lines and the constraints of horse-drawn carriages. This visionary concept, born in the 1880s, was the brainchild of a young German engineer named Carl Benz: motorized personal transport. His creation, the Benz Patent Motorwagen, marked the true birth of the automobile.
The year 1885 witnessed the genesis of the automobile, powered by the revolutionary internal combustion engine. It was in this year that Carl Benz, a pioneering mind in engine technology, opened his modest workshop in Mannheim. There, he unveiled his groundbreaking invention: a three-wheeled carriage propelled by a single-cylinder engine of his own ingenious design. While the gasoline engine itself was not entirely novel, having been utilized in large stationary engines for industrial and agricultural purposes, Benz’s genius lay in conceiving a compact, single-cylinder variant. This innovation paved the way for the Benz Patent Motorwagen, a phenomenon that would redefine personal mobility.
Bertha Benz and her sons, Eugen and Richard, reenacting their historic journey from Mannheim to Pforzheim, showcasing the Benz Patent Motorwagen’s early capabilities.
Having successfully developed his prototype, Benz pursued patent protection, solidifying his place in history as the first to claim the design for a gasoline-powered motor carriage. German patent number 37435 was officially granted to Benz on January 29, 1886, forever linking this date to the birth of the automobile. Shortly after, Gottlieb Daimler and his associate Wilhelm Maybach also sought patents for their motor carriage design. However, history recognizes Benz as the pioneering inventor.
Carl Benz’s journey to automotive innovation began with a solid engineering foundation. A graduate of the Karlsruhe Polytechnikum, he initially honed his skills designing scales for Karl Schenck in Mannheim. Seeking more fulfilling challenges, he transitioned to bridge construction for the Benckiser Brothers in Pforzheim, an endeavor that resonated with his engineering aspirations.
The Benz Patent plaque, commemorating the 1886 Motorwagen as the world’s first automobile, a testament to Carl Benz’s groundbreaking invention.
During his time at Benckiser, Carl’s life took a personal turn when he met Cäcilie Bertha Ringer, a spirited and intelligent young woman. Their engagement in 1870 marked not only a personal union but also a pivotal partnership in automotive history. Bertha’s unwavering support and decisive nature would prove instrumental in Carl’s endeavors, shaping the future of the Benz Patent Motorwagen and the automotive industry itself.
Following their engagement, Carl ventured into entrepreneurship, briefly partnering with August Ritter to establish a machine shop in Mannheim. Financial challenges led to Ritter’s departure, prompting the resourceful Bertha to utilize her dowry to secure her fiancé’s ownership of the firm. This act of faith and support solidified their partnership, and the business was renamed Eisengiesserei und mechanische Werkstätte (Iron Foundry and Mechanical Workshop).
Carl Benz at the helm of the refined 1887 Benz Patent Motorwagen, showcasing the tiller steering system and improved design for early consumers.
For Carl and Bertha Benz, marriage in July 1872 marked the beginning of a challenging yet ultimately triumphant journey in business. The early years were marked by hardship, with the births of their children Eugen, Richard, Clara, and Tilde adding to the financial strain. Breakthrough success arrived in 1880 with Carl’s invention of his first stationary engine, the “embryonic two-stroke engine.” This invention, born after numerous trials and tribulations, ran smoothly and consistently, providing much-needed financial relief and encouragement. The two-stroke design was necessitated by a patent held by Nikolaus August Otto for the four-stroke engine, a temporary obstacle in Benz’s path to automotive innovation.
In 1881, seeking financial stability, Carl partnered with Emil Bühler, a local photographer. Benz focused on engine development, while Bühler managed sales and marketing. However, an overzealous sales agent led to financial strain, prompting the need for a bank loan. The bank’s requirement for incorporation led to the establishment of Gasmotorenfabrik Mannheim in October 1882, with a nine-member board of directors.
Detailed rear view of the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, highlighting the two-stroke, single-cylinder engine, massive flywheel, tiller steering, hand-lever brake, and chain drive.
The corporate harmony was short-lived. Benz’s vision for a small engine powering a motor carriage was met with skepticism and ridicule by the board. By the fall of 1883, facing opposition and doubt, Benz resigned. During this challenging period, Bertha’s unwavering belief and encouragement served as his anchor. “Fearless and courageous, she hoisted up new sails of hope,” Carl later wrote, acknowledging Bertha’s pivotal role in his perseverance.
Fueled by Bertha’s support and his unwavering vision, Benz secured the backing of businessmen Max Kaspar Rose and Friedrich Wilhelm Esslinger. On October 1, 1883, just weeks after leaving Gasmotorenfabrik Mannheim, Benz & Cie., Rheinische Gasmotorenfabrik was founded. Carl Benz was back in business, closer than ever to realizing his dream of the Benz Patent Motorwagen.
An interior close-up of the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen, showing the rudimentary controls and tiller steering, reflecting the early stage of automotive design.
The new company thrived on the production and sales of Benz stationary engines, providing the financial stability and time for Carl to dedicate himself to developing a motor for his “horseless carriage.” The inspiration for fuel came from an accidental fire in his workshop involving benzene. Benz recognized the potential of this volatile fluid if its combustion could be controlled. His solution: a battery and trembler coil ignition system with a spark plug of his own design. Unbeknownst to Benz, Daimler and Maybach were independently reaching similar conclusions, setting the stage for a silent race to build the first motor carriage.
Benz, a keen cyclist, favored a tricycle configuration for his Benz Patent Motorwagen. He deemed it more logical, lighter, and easier to steer than a four-wheeled horse-carriage-based design. Power was transmitted to the rear wheels via a chain drive. By 1885, the concept was taking tangible form.
A detailed view of the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen’s two-stroke single-cylinder engine and massive flywheel, illustrating the pioneering engine technology.
Initial trials in the fall of 1885 were less than smooth. The first Benz Patent Motorwagen prototype stalled and then broke its drive chain. After improvements, a subsequent test with Bertha present resulted in a collision with his workshop wall – the shortest road test in history! Further tests involved his son Eugene acting as a mobile fuel carrier, highlighting the nascent stage of automotive development.
With the patent secured in January 1886, Benz aimed to popularize the Benz Patent Motorwagen. However, widespread acceptance was still years away. Benz hesitated to commence production, limiting testing to his workshop vicinity. Contrary to expectations, it was Bertha, not Carl, who would etch her name into history as the first motorist, undertaking the first long-distance journey in an automobile.
An early advertisement for the Benz & Co. Patent-Motorwagen, showcasing the initial marketing efforts for this revolutionary vehicle.
In the summer of 1888, Bertha, with her sons Eugen and Richard, embarked on an audacious 50-mile journey from Mannheim to Pforzheim in the second Benz Patent Motorwagen prototype. Leaving a note for Carl, she set off at dawn, completing the trip in a single day. Her telegram to Carl upon arrival, “Arrived in Pforzheim without incident,” understated the groundbreaking nature of her journey.
Bertha’s drive was largely uneventful mechanically, but it captivated onlookers in every village. Stops included Heidelberg for refreshments and Wiesloch, where the town apothecary became the world’s first filling station, supplying benzene fuel.
Illustration of Bertha Benz and her sons at the apothecary in Wiesloch, the world’s first filling station, during their pioneering journey in the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen.
Mechanical issues encountered en route were ingeniously resolved by Bertha. A hatpin cleared a fuel line blockage, and a garter insulated a short-circuited ignition wire. In Bauschlott, a farrier replaced the worn brake block leather. Arriving in Pforzheim at sunset, Bertha’s journey proved the practicality of the motorcar, overcoming skepticism and paving the way for the automobile’s future. Her courage and initiative were crucial to the subsequent success of Benz & Cie.
Bertha’s feedback led to further improvements in the Benz Patent Motorwagen, including a low gear for hill climbing, inspired by their struggles on steep inclines during the journey. By year’s end, the improved Model 3 was on the road. However, widespread adoption was still hindered by the limited availability of gasoline compared to readily available horse feed. Benzene was only obtainable in small quantities from apothecaries.
A 1986 reproduction of the 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen displayed at the Los Angeles County Museum of History, commemorating the invention’s centennial.
Despite these challenges, Benz showcased the Model 3 Benz Patent Motorwagen at the Munich Engineering Exposition in September 1888, offering test drives. Newspaper reports described the spectacle as unprecedented, drawing breathless crowds. While Benz received a Gold medal, orders remained scarce. A year later, his French sales agent, Emile Roger, exhibited the Benz Patent Motorwagen at the Paris Exposition. By 1892, sales were slowly increasing. The early “production” models from 1886 to 1889 evolved, with engine displacement and power increasing. A total of 25 were produced.
Carl Benz and his son Eugen in a 1892 Benz Victoria during a Munich celebration in 1925, reflecting on the evolution of his automotive vision.
In 1892, Benz & Cie. introduced the four-wheeled Viktoria model, followed by the Velo in 1894. The Velo became the first commercially successful horseless carriage in Europe, followed by the Benz Ideal and a succession of models. By 1900, Benz & Cie. was a leading automaker, having sold over 1,250 cars since 1887. Competition was emerging from Daimler, Maybach, and others, but Benz had firmly established his pioneering legacy.
Thanks to Carl Benz and his “insane” idea, personal transportation was forever transformed. For 120 years, the world has moved on wheels, a testament to the visionary Benz Patent Motorwagen and the dawn of the automotive age.
By Dennis Adler © Car Collector Magazine, LLC. Originally appeared in the January 2006 Issue
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