FATHER OF MOTOR CAR.

Shannon News, 4 June 1929, Page 1

FATHER OF MOTOR CAR.

GERMAN INVENTOR'S DEATH. “CRANK” OP 50 YEARS AGO Dr. Karl Bonze, the man who built the world’s first four-wheel motor-car, died on April 3, at his home in Mannheim,. Germany, at the age of 84. Only two. days previously a deputation of motor-cyclists from all parts of Germany rode to Mannheim to take party in‘'the great Karl Benze jubilee raiiy and to pay their tribute to the father of the world’s motor industries. He was born in 1844, and was the son of an engine driver. He served his apprenticeship as a humble workman in a Karlsruhe engineering works. He saved enough money to set up a business of his own in Mannheim in 1871, and devoted himself to the realisation of his dreams —to constructing a vehicle that would move along roads under its own power.

Dr. Benze invented a two-stroke motor. in ISSO, but the world looked on with incredulous suspicion at this latest “inventor crank” and refused to take his claim seriously. It tvas ex prcssly.. stipulated three years later, ivhen he had ■ persuaded financiers to help him in establishing the Benzie and Co., Rhenish Gas Motor Factory, in the agreement that the money to be spent on the construction of motor carriages

was to be regarded as a dead loss. This Hannheim factory was the foundation of the great Mercede<s-Benze motor works, which are to-day among the most important factories in the world. In 1884 Dr. Benze patented an engine in which the propelling power was produced by the rapid combustion of carburetted gas, and in 1886 he succeeded in fitting it to the newly-invent-ed safety bicycles, and the first motorcycle was born. A year later Dr. Benze astonished the town ,of Mannheim by driving through its streets in the world's first motor car. He had taken an ordinary horse carriage, had removed the shafts, and had fitted his motor to the. rear end of the carriage, while ho fixed a steering gear to the coachman's seat. The motor was of one horse-power only and the car travelled at the remarkable speed of 124 miles an hour.

After that Dr. Benze turned out one car a month for a year or two. Some found their way to England, others to America; in fact the Benze was the first motor car seen in America. Mr Henry Ford 'bought one and had his first motoring lesson on it.

Dr. Benze worked indefatigably, and experimented continually until he pro-

duced an engine which was the forerunner of the modern car engine. He invented those vital parts of the modern car—differential, battery ignition, and the carburetter.

A Benze model made in 1901 played a creditable part in the London to Brighton Emancipation Day run last November, while a Blitzen-Benze racing car built in 1909 won the first race at the Easter Monday’s Brooklands meeting at an average speed of 76 miles an hour.