125 Years of the Benz Motor-Velociped

Large-scale production is normal in the automotive industry today, but have you ever considered which car was the first to be mass-produced? For this we have to turn back some pages of history until we finally reach back to Carl Benz. Yes, the same man who had his Motorwagen patented in 1886 also managed to get his first real series-production on the road in big numbers only eight years later. While the Patent-Motorwagen (patent motor vehicle) and subsequent prototypes had a rear axle with two wheels and only one steered front wheel, later production models like the Vis-à-Vis or the Victoria received an also patented axle steering with two front wheels, which later was also used with the Motor-Velociped.

This debuted in April 1894 as a small car, whose name is derived from the Latin term for bicycles (velociped means fast-runner). For this Carl Benz had developed a special enthusiasm, after he had bought his first bicycle with wire tires on wooden wheels already in 1867 and used it for long journeys in the countryside. The Motor-Velociped was shown on the title of the annual Benz catalog and became an instant sales success. With its 1.1 kW/1.5 hp engine, the car might look like a better walker from today’s perspective. At that time, however, it was sufficiently powered for the German and European markets.

In the conversational parlance, the Motor-Velociped quickly became just the Benz Velo. From 1898, a more powerful version with 2 kW/2.75 hp was also offered for an additional charge of 200 marks. Another 100 marks were charged for the fabric sunscreen ‘parasol’, which was available for both engine versions. At the same time, Benz added the Velociped Comfortable for 2,500 marks with the more powerful engine as part of the standard equipment. The ‘extremely fine equipment’ (quote from the Benz catalog of 1898) also included a better upholstered seat and vis-à-vis mounted child seat. For 350 marks in addition, there were air-filled tires available for the first time, called pneumatics.

1899 marked the introduction of a three-speed transmission instead of the previously two-speed transmission. In addition, the names were simplified to Benz Velociped (from 2,500 marks) and Benz Comfortable (from 2,800 marks), each now equipped with a 2.2 kW/3 hp single-cylinder engine. From 1901, the normal Velociped was accounted for and in the last production year 1902 the power in the Comfortable was again increased to 3.3 kW/4.5 hp, which allowed a maximum speed of 35 kph (21.7 mph) according to the brochure. In eight years around 1,200 copies were produced in the Benz manufactory. Especially in Germany, Great Britain and France many interested customers could be found. Today a Benz Velociped is part of the ‘Mythos’ room in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart/Germany.

Images: Mercedes-Benz