The First Mercedes-Benz

The first Mercedes-Benz was also the first automobile in the world. This car was called the Benz  Motor-Wagen (first patented in 1886).  The Mercedes-Benz name didn't come around until later. As you can see, it was a convertible. ;-)

Karl Benz wanted to invent a horseless carriage. Little did he know that his invention would become so popular that it would change the world forever. We can also give his wife, Bertha, credit for proving that his horseless carriage was capable of going long distances. As the story goes, Bertha set out one day on a drive with their kids in the Motor-Wagen without telling Karl she was leaving. She drove all the way to her mother's house, a journey that lasted all day. Along the way, she had to stop to pick up gasoline at pharmacies (there were no gas stations yet, of course, and only pharmacies carried gasoline - as a cleaning product!). When she arrived, she notified her husband by telegram of her arrival. What a surprise that must have been to him!

So, thanks to the Bertha for inspiring the long distance road trip. I just checked Wikipedia and her trip was only 65 miles long. Wow! Luckily, these days, we can go that same distance in an hour.

Thank you to the Benz couple, for the automobile and for road trips, and thank you to losangelestimes for posting this fun Benz video on YouTube. 

Wikipedia on Benz:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Benz