Mercedes-Benz has taken its first mass-produced car in its history for a ride – and it’s still going strong 130 years later.
Built in 1894, Mercedes-Benz Classic took the Benz Motor-Velocipede, better known as the Benz Velo, out for a spin on their closed racing track in Sindelfingen.
The Benz Velo completed several satisfactory laps before returning to its museum home.
It’s a sign that as well as constantly looking to the future, we can learn a lot from its past, too.
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The site is also home to Factory 56 with its state-of-the-art production technology.
The carmaker is currently trialing the use of humanoid robots for production logistics.
‘From 1894 to the future’, is what then-called Benz & Cie said about the car at the time.
Its lightweight construction marked a turning point for the automobile industry.
The simplicity of controls and tech of the Benz Velo is a stark contrast to cars of today.
The Benz Velo was able to cover 20km/h (12mph) and able to cover gradients of 10% ‘on good roads’.
It cost 2,000 marks to buy, and was ‘complete with the finest fittings and lanterns’.
“The demand for this vehicle was literally overwhelming,” Carl Benz said about his creation in an interview in 1909.
“What we made sold immediately.”
Between 1894 and 1902, about 1,200 units of the family of compact cars were manufactured in the Benz factory at Mannheim.
Starting in 1896, Benz sold more powerful engines and additional equipment options to suit its customers.
The ‘Benz Comfortable’ came with a longer body and added a third gear, upholstery, a rear-facing child seat, and a crank to facilitate starting.
Improved grip on the tires was an added bonus.
The power of the horizontally installed 1-liter single-cylinder engine with vertical flywheel leapt from 1.1kW (1.5hp) in the first Benz Velo of 1894 to 3.3kW (4.5hp) in the Benz Comfortable from 1902.
On the other edge of progress, this ultra-rare Mercedes-AMG One is currently listed on SBX Cars.
You can also get your hands on this 1990 Mercedes-Benz Wolf GD250 listed on SBX Cars.
