Working Model of First Automobile Built by Karl Benz, Presented to Henry Ford in 1938
Add to SetSummary
The automobile's invention cannot be traced to any one person, place, or moment in time. 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.
The automobile's invention cannot be traced to any one person, place, or moment in time. 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.
Artifact
Model (Representation)
Date Made
1938
Creators
Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Built in 1938 by apprentices of the Mannheim Works of the Daimler-Benz Company in Stuttgart, Germany. It is a 1/5 size working model of the first automobile built by Karl Benz in 1885.
Keywords
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
38.504.1
Material
Metal
Brass (Alloy)
Leather
Wood (Plant material)
Dimensions
Height: 19 in
Width: 22 in
Length: 40 in
Inscriptions
Plate below seat on right: MINIATUR MODEL OF / THE FIRST PRACTICALLY USEFUL / ROAD VEHICLE / WITHINTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND PETROL ACTION / CAPABLE OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENT BUILT BY / CARL BENZ, MANNHEIM IN 1885 / TECHNICAL DATA OF THE ORIGINAL MODEL IN THE GERMAN MUSEUM / IN MUNICH: / OUTPUT: 3/4 P.S. R.P.M.: 436 / CYLINDER CAPACITY: 950 CCM SPEED: 16 KM PER HOUR
Share Anywhere
Use this Artifact Card to share this great find with others. From historic images to vivid descriptions, a record of rich detail is bundled inside a single card.
