Mr. Daimler and Mr. Benz at the Dawn of the Automotive Age
On the Mt Olympus of automotive gods, no names are more revered than those of Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz.
On January 29, 1886 Benz submitted a Patent application for his “vehicle with gas operation” to the Imperial Patent Office giving it what the company today, calls the birth certificate of the first automobile and the name Benz Patent Motorwagen.
Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach developed their one cylinder, “Grandfather Clock” engine in 1884. They install it in the 1885 Daimler Reitwagen or Riding Car. On August 28, 1885 Daimler is awarded the Patent for “vehicle with gas or petroleum drive machine”. We would say, the world’s first motorcycle.
It looks more like something from Leonardo DaVinci’s workshop in the 15th or 16th century than a product of the industrial revolution of the 19th century.
Just a few months after Benz patents his Motorwagen, Daimler installs a 1.1 hp version of his grandfather clock engine into a 4 seat coach to create the first gas powered car with four wheels to reach 10 MPH.
It is not until 1926 that the two companies merge to form Daimler-Benz AG. It is also in 1926 that the 3 pointed star emblem first appears.
Both models are 1/8 scale and made by Franklin Mint.
Now, we suspect there are a few of you saying, “Wait one minute there. What are you guys trying to pull? Isn’t this the same script from a couple of weeks ago?”
Not quite, this photo is in color so you can appreciate more of the wonderful details these models have to offer. You may notice, there is no foreground tree shadow either, making your viewing just a little easier as well.
We also saved one juicy factoid for this post. Did you notice? Did you know? The Benz Patent Motorwagen was also the first car with rack and pinion steering. Look closely and you can see the toothed rack attached to the front wheel. The steering pillar has a pinion gear at the base, completing the connection between the steering lever and wheel.
Mr. Daimler and Mr. Benz at the Dawn of the Automotive Age
On the Mt Olympus of automotive gods, no names are more revered than those of Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz.
On January 29, 1886 Benz submitted a Patent application for his “vehicle with gas operation” to the Imperial Patent Office giving it what the company today, calls the birth certificate of the first automobile and the name Benz Patent Motorwagen.
Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach developed their one cylinder, “Grandfather Clock” engine in 1884. They install it in the 1885 Daimler Reitwagen or Riding Car. On August 28, 1885 Daimler is awarded the Patent for “vehicle with gas or petroleum drive machine”. We would say, the world’s first motorcycle.
It looks more like something from Leonardo DaVinci’s workshop in the 15th or 16th century than a product of the industrial revolution of the 19th century.
Just a few months after Benz patents his Motorwagen, Daimler installs a 1.1 hp version of his grandfather clock engine into a 4 seat coach to create the first gas powered car with four wheels to reach 10 MPH.
It is not until 1926 that the two companies merge to form Daimler-Benz AG. It is also in 1926 that the 3 pointed star emblem first appears.
Both models are 1/8 scale and made by Franklin Mint.
Now, we suspect there are a few of you saying, “Wait one minute there. What are you guys trying to pull? Isn’t this the same script from a couple of weeks ago?”
Not quite, this photo is in color so you can appreciate more of the wonderful details these models have to offer. You may notice, there is no foreground tree shadow either, making your viewing just a little easier as well.
We also saved one juicy factoid for this post. Did you notice? Did you know? The Benz Patent Motorwagen was also the first car with rack and pinion steering. Look closely and you can see the toothed rack attached to the front wheel. The steering pillar has a pinion gear at the base, completing the connection between the steering lever and wheel.