On this day: The car is born

motor car, karl benz, bertha benz, benz patent-motorwagen, vehicle, 1886, july 3On 3 July 1886, Karl Benz revealed what is commonly agreed as being the first ever motor car.

Propelled by an internal combustion engine, the three-wheeled open top car produced 0.5kw of power from its 100kg engine, which could move its passengers at 16kph.

Benz’ wife Bertha was actually the financier behind the car but was not allowed to hold the patent by law. However, she did manage to have her place in history as she snuck the car out of the factory to be behind the wheel for the first ever drive.

25 of these historic vehicles were made at his factory and the Benz’s continued their work to drive Mercedes Benz to become the motoring monolith it is today.