Benz

D, 1885 – 1926

(1) Benz & Co, Rheinische Gasmotorenfabrik, Mannheim, 1885 – 1899

(2) Benz & Cie, Rheinische Gasmotorenfabrik AG, Mannheim, 1899 – 1911

(3) Benz & Cie, Rheinische Automobil- und Motorenfabrik AG, Mannheim, 1911 – 1926

Karl Benz is honoured throughout the world as the man who designed and built the first workable motor car driven by an internal combustion engine. It is established that in 1885 his first Benz car was ready and made its first trials. Benz’s ideas were concentrated from the beginning on a car as an organic unit of chassis and engine, not on motorization of existing vehicles. The first Benz car was a three-wheeler with two driven rear wheels. The engine was a horizontal single-cylinder with a vertical crankshaft which had a horizontal flywheel. It developed ¾hp and a speed of 8mph is recorded for one of the first trial runs. This prototype Benz car had some featured which are still very extensively used in automobile construction: the water-cooled engine, electric ignition, mechanically operated inlet valve, and a differential gear. This first Benz car still exists and belongs to the Deutsches Museum, Munich, to which it was presented by its inventor. Several Benz Patentwagen replicas were built and are now in different museums.

Only a few Benz cars were produced and for sale in the following years. At the Munich Exhibition of 1888 Benz had the opportunity of showing his improved Benz car to a wider public. Instead of the wire wheels of the first Benz Patentwagen the later models had wooden-spoked wheels. Engine output was increased to 2hp. Sales of Benz’ stationary gas engines were quite satisfactory, while interest in Benz motor cars was very limited and it was not until 1890 that Benz started a real, if small, ‘to order’ production. This was partly a result of exhibiting his Benz car at the Paris World Fair in 1889 which led to increasing sales by his French agent Emile Roger, who already sold Benz stationary engines. The other important factor was that Benz was joined by two new partners in 1890. These two men who possibly saved Benz from the fate of numerous other inventors, driven aground by financial difficulties, were Friedrich von Fischer and Julius Ganss. Fischer took over internal administration and Ganss became responsible for sales. Benz himself was free for further developments on the technical side of the business, which made sound progress. 1893 saw the production of the first 4-wheeled Benz car, the Benz Victoria. This model was also the basis for the first Benz van and Benz bus in 1895; its technical conception was also adopted for the Benz Velo of 1894. This model has a place in the history of motoring as the world’s first production car. Production figures for 1885 to 1893 were 69 cars. 67 cars left the factory in 1894, mainly Benz Velos. These figures increased to 135 cars in 1895 and 181 in 1896.

In 1896 the first Benz Kontra-Motor appeared, an engine with two horizontally opposed cylinders. The first Benz lorry was produced in the same year. In 1898 pneumatic tyres were adopted for the Benz Comfortable. Production in 1899 was 572 cars, which brought Benz into the first rank of car producers. This number was surpassed in the following year with a production of 603 units. The first Benz racing car appeared in 1899 and was the start of numerus racing successes.

After 1901 sales of Benz cars declined as Benz stuck to his now outdated designs. Mercedes’ successes led him to evolve new concepts of construction; the result was the 2-cylinder front-engined Parsifal presented in 1903, available with cardan or chain drive and various engine outputs. In the same year a new 4-cylinder engine appeared and was used in all subsequent Benz models. A 1903 racing car developed 60hp and participated in the Paris-Madrid race. Karl Benz himself left the company in 1903 although he rejoined shortly afterwards. In 1906 he joined his sons in the firm of C. Benz Söhne.

1906 saw Benz gaining a second place in the Herkomer Trial while in the same event in 1907 a 5hp Benz finished first. Second and third place in the Coppa Florio, 1907, first place in the Florida 100-Miles Race, 1908, second and third place in the French Grand Prix, 1908, and second and fourth place in the American Grand Prix, 1908, led the world records which were set with 150hp and 200hp Benz cars by Bruce-Brown, Robertson, Oldfield and Hémery. With the 200hp Blitzen Benz Burman covered a mile in 25.4 seconds from a flying start at Daytona Beach in 1911. This was a speed of 140.8mph, but was not recognized internationally as a Land Speed Record.

In 1910 Benz acquired the Süddeutsche Automobil-Fabrik of Gaggenau. Production of private Benz cars in this factory was given up and in the following years Benz concentrated on commercial vehicles there.

A wide range of Benz cars for sale was marketed in the 1910-1914 period, ranging from the 2-litre Benz 8/20ps up to really big machines like the 10.1-litre Benz 39/100ps, all with side valve engines and shaft drive. However, the 22-litre Benz 200hp (which cost £1800 in England in 1912, and must have been the largest-engined private car to go on the market) had ohv and final drive by side chains. Benz were successful in the Austrian Alpine Trials, the Tatra-Adria Trial and various trials in Russia, to name only a few. The great promoter of German motoring, Prince Henry of Prussia, used only Benz cars.

The first Benz 6-cylinder car was produced in 1914 with the type Benz 25/65ps 6.5 litre. In 1918 the Benz 6/18ps 4-cylinder 1540cc appeared, a type developed during the war. A very important Benz development was the precombustion chamber diesel engine. It was first used in 1922 for Benz Sendling agricultural tractors, and the first diesel-engined lorry by Benz appeared in 1924. These were steps towards later Mercedes-Benz diesel-engined cars. Another idea introduced by Benz which also appeared in later Mercedes-Benz cars was the swing axle. It was one feature of the 2-litre 6-cylinder Benz ‘teardrop’ racing car designed on Rumpler principles. However, this car was not a great success either in its racing or in its sports version. In the Grand Prix of Italy in 1923 they gained fourth and fifth place. In 1924 Benz and Mercedes began to combine their interests, amalgamating in 1926.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HON

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Crossley

GB, 1904 – 1937

(1) Crossley Brothers Ltd, Gorton, Manchester, 1904 – 1910

(2) Crossley Motors Ltd, Gorton, Manchester, 1910 – 1937

The name of Crossley was famous on engines before it was famous on cars; in fact the Crossley company was the first in Britain to make 4-stroke internal combustion engines on the Otto principle. Later, Daimler engines were made under licence. The first Crossley car for sale, a chain-driven 22hp 4-cylinder, appeared for the 1904 season. A Crossley 28hp and Crossley 40hp followed, all three cars being of normal design and foreign inspiration. Their designer was J.S. Critchley, formerly of Daimler. Shaft drive appeared in 1906, and late in 1909, some were fitted with Allen-Liveredge front-wheel brakes, but Crossley cars, though excellent machines, made little impression until after 1910. The 4-litre 20hp Crossley which then made its bow was a well-constructed, durable and very popular car. Designed by A.W. Reeves, it lived on in modified form until 1925. Crossley’s finest hour came in World War 1, when, as the Crossley 20/25hp it achieved fame as a staff car in the Royal Flying Corps, and as an ambulance and light truck. The Crossley model was extremely popular with the British Royal Family after the war in its 25/30hp version. In its early years, however, it was rivalled by the 15hp. The efficiency of the latter’s  otherwise conventional engine, a side-valve four like the rest, gave this Crossley a better performance than most cars in its class and encouraged the makers to offer a special sporting variant, the Crossley Shelsley.

The Crossley Fifteen was discontinued after 1914, but a new Crossley arrived for 1921. This Crossley 19.6hp was a rather more modern design, having a detachable cylinder head, and it was cheaper and lighter on fuel than its 25/30hp companion. The performance was about the same. It was also made in sporting form as the Crossley 20/70hp, but this model was heavy, like the ’Crossley 19.6’ itself, and the brakes were not good enough for the 75mph that was available. Crossley did not make a serious attempt to invade the middle-class market until 1923, when the Crossley 12/14hp, later called the Crossley Fourteen, was introduced. Like its brothers, this was a simple side-valve four, in this case of 2.4 litres, but was more modern, with its unit construction of engine and gearbox and central gear-change. The Crossley Fourteen was a very successful model, being flexile and, thanks to its light weight, both roomy and economical. It survived until 1927. By this time the two bigger Crossley cars were giving way to a much more up-to-date car; the Crossley company’s first six and its first overhead-valve machine. This Crossley 18/50hp model was a spacious, heavy 2.6-litre car with good brakes but somewhat lacking in power. Its engine was enlarged to 3.2-litres and 20.9hp for 1928. At the same time a new small Crossley of similar design, the 2-litre Crossley 15.7hp was introduced, to which a sporting alternative reviving the Shelsley name was  added in 1929. Lagonda’s 16/80 model used this engine later. The 6-cylinder Crossley 15.7hp continued until 1934 and the Crossley 20.9hp until 1937. Wilson pre-selector gearboxes were fitted from 1934.

In 1932, the Crossley company had introduced a light car, the Crossley Ten. This was an assembled vehicle powered by an 1100cc Coventry-Climax engine with overhead inlet valves. It was too heavy (a drawback compounded by the pre-selector gearbox), it was very low-geared and its brakes were mediocre. Another mistake was Crossley’s attempt to market the Burney rear-engined car with all-independent suspension. It was given a 15.7hp Crossley engine and a Wilson box, but it was too unconventional in appearance and handling. Very few were made. In 1935, Crossley introduced its new Regis range of small cars with handsome bodies styled by C.F. Beauvais. They consisted of the Crossley Ten and a new Crossley 1½-litre six of the same design also powered by Coventry-Climax, both with a new lowered frame. Both cars, together with the last Crossley 20.9s, disappeared after 1937.

Crossley assembled other people’s cars as well as making their own, beginning with the Willys-Overland Model 4 in 1920. The Gorton-produced Willys came to include more and more British-made parts, such as a Morris Oxford engine. A less likely diversion was an attempt of Crossley in 1921 to make the Type 22 Bugatti in England, but only a handful of these Crossley-Bugattis appeared. In 1922-1933 the Crossley factory made the AJS as well.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com