Mercedes-Benz: When the carriage became mobile ...
STAR OF THE MUSEUM For an illustrious international clientele, the Daimler motor road carriage of 1892 meant highly exclusive automobility. The carriage is the oldest representative car in the world.
"Close-up" is the name of the new series at the Mercedes-Benz Museum - and it's also the program. Each episode tells surprising and profound stories. To do so, it casts the spotlight on details of a vehicle, exhibition exhibit or an element of architecture and design. The focus is on the Daimler motor road car from 1892.
First car from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft
The small motor road car, a 130-year-old exhibit, looks somewhat inconspicuous. It stands right next to two mighty and magnificent Mercedes-Benz 770 Grosser Mercedes (W 07) from the 1930s. But it fits there, because it is the oldest representative vehicle in the world.
Anyone who takes a closer look discovers its significance. The Motor-Strassenwagen was the first automobile model sold by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) - albeit a very exclusive affair in 1892. DMG built only twelve units by 1895.
Strong interest in the innovative means of transport
Typical of the vehicle, which from today's perspective is simple, were the box-shaped body and the open bench seat on four wooden wheels. It looked like a carriage and yet did not need any harnessed horses. An illustrious clientele was interested in this innovative means of transportation 130 years ago. "Sultan, Morocco" was very matter-of-factly written in the first entry of the DMG carriage book in 1892.
The automobile delivered to the Sultan on August 31, 1892 did look somewhat different from the vehicle on display in the Mercedes-Benz Museum. The climate in Morocco requires a sun roof, and so it was given an ornate velvet canopy and gold thread tassels and ebony trim as further special features.
