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

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

Stoewer

D, 1899 – 1939

(1) Gebrüder Stoewer, Fabrik für Motorfahrzeuge, Stettin, 1899 – 1916

(2) Stoewer-Werke AG vorm. Gebr. Stoewer, Stettin, 1916 – 1939

The Stoewer car factory developed out of the Stoewer ironworks and was among the pioneers of the German car industry. After manufacturing motor cycles, tricycles and quadricycles for two years, Stoewer turned to cars in 1899. The first Stoewer car had a rear-mounted 2-cylinder engine. 4-cylinder Stoewer cars followed in 1901, and electric Stoewer cars were also produced. Best known were the 2-cylinder Type T Stoewer car (2.280cc and 3/12PS), the 4-cylinder Stoewer P4 (3.052cc and 11/22PS), the Stoewer G4 (1.500cc and 6/12PS) and the 6-cylinder Stoewer P6 (8.820cc and 34/60PS), evolved in the 1905-1907 period all Stoewer cars with shaft-drive. The Stoewer B1 of 6/16PS and the Stoewer B6 of 9/22PS which appeared in 1910 were also built by Mathis under licence. The G4 Stoewer car was the basis for the Stoewer B5, which Stoewer car in 1912 became famous by setting up a record at Brooklands with 67.7mph. The new range of Stoewer cars which appeared in 1913 was also based on successful earlier cars. They were the Stoewer C1 (6/18PS), Stoewer C2 (10/28PS) and C3 Stoewer car (6-cylinder and 19/45PS). Shortly before the outbreak of World War 1 the Stoewer car range was headed by the F4 Stoewer car with a 4-cylinder, 8.8-litre 33/100PS ohc engine. After the war an enormous Stoewer car appeared, the Stoewer D7, using a 6-cylinder 11.2-litre 42/120PS aero engine, as well as some conservative sv 4- and 6-cylinder Stoewer cars with rear wheel and transmission brakes. Front wheel brakes appeared on Stoewer cars in 1925. Stoewer introduced 8-cylinder Stoewer cars in 1928. These were the Stoewer Superior, Stoewer Marschall, Stoewer Gigant and Stoewer Repräsentant with engines ranging from 2-litres and 45bhp to 4.9-litres and 100bhp. The Stoewer car firm re-entered the economy class in 1931 with the V5, a front-driven Stoewer car with a V4 1.188cc engine, followed by the front-drive models R140 (1.369cc), R150 (1.488cc) and R180 (1.769cc). Another 8-cylinder was the front wheel drive Greif V8 with a 2.488cc engine, which was replaced by the conventional 6-cylinder 3.609cc Arcona Stoewer car in 1938. In 1934 the 1½-litre 4-cylinder Stoewer car and 2½-litre V8 Stoewer car were shown at the Brussels Salon by Monsieur Dewaet under the name D.S. (Dewaet-Stoewer). The Greif Junior was built under Tatra licence with an opposed 4-cylinder 1.474cc engine. It succeeded the Röhr Junior. In the middle of the range was the Stoewer Sedina with a 4-cylinder engine of 2.4-litres.

Production of private Stoewer cars was given up at the outbreak of World War 2 in 1939. The Stoewer car factory was destroyed during the war and production of Stoewer cars was not resumed.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HON   

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