March 1894 -- The Benz Velocipede or "Velo" is the First Series Production Car in History

Photo from 1894 of Carl Benz (in dark suit) with his children on board a Benz Motor-Velocipede. (Photo index number in the Mercedes-Benz Classic Archives: U53459)

 

In 1894, the innovative Benz Motor-Velocipede with its lightweight construction marked a turning point for the automobile industry. “The demand for this vehicle was quite literally overwhelming. What we made was sold immediately.” This is how automobile inventor Carl Benz remembered it in an interview in 1909. All in all, some 1,200 examples of this model family of compact Benz automobiles were built at the Benz factory in Mannheim between 1894 and 1902. Known as the “Velo” for short, the model was the first series-production passenger car in history.

Benz & Cie. described the performance of the successful car as follows in 1894: “This Velocipede has an engine that can develop 1½ horsepower.” Two years later, the catalogue stated the maximum speed and driving behaviour: “The Velocipede is able to cover around 20 kilometres per hour and overcome gradients of up to 10% on good roads.” It cost 2,000 marks “complete with the finest fittings and lanterns”.

Innovation proceeded at a rapid pace. From 1896 onwards, Benz offered more powerful engines and additional equipment options. As a luxury version of the Motor-Velocipede, the Benz Comfortable came with a longer body, a third gear available at extra cost, more elaborate seat upholstery, a rear-facing child seat and a crank for easier starting. Optional extras included pneumatic tyres for better driving characteristics.

The vehicle concept was produced as the Benz Motor-Velocipede until 1900, and as the Benz Comfortable until 1902, and was continuously developed further. In particular, the power output of the horizontally installed 1-litre single-cylinder engine with vertical flywheel increased from 1.1 kW (1.5 hp) in the first Benz Velo of 1894 to 3.3 kW (4.5 hp) in the Benz Comfortable of 1902. From 1901 (2.6 kW/3.5 hp) to 1902 alone, the power output increased by an impressive 28.5 per cent.

The model family was also an export success. This is shown in the trilingual catalogue in German, English and French from 1901. In France, the “Velo” was marketed as the “Éclair” (“Lightning”). In 1895, Benz granted a licence to the British engineering company Arnold to produce the Motor-Velocipede. The “Arnold Motor Carriage” was one of the first British automobiles.

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