The politically difficult years after 1907 seemed overcome 1910, the Russian Revolution, the banking crisis in USA and the consequences in Germany. Important for the car presented here: The cylinder capacity tax has been introduced in 1906. As a result, indeed still rich people were the potential buyers, but they demanded comparatively significantly less displacement and accepted the correspondingly lower performance. Because for such a chassis were to pay at least 6,500 Goldmark at Benz and not less than 1,000 for the body.

Opel, of course, could do it cheaper, but such a Benz still has larger dimensions, fine leather upholstery, more prestige and a much more smoother suspension. Of course, at Benz were still available for a lot more money also more than 7 litres. Therewith one reached 100 km/h, while the 8/20 presented here ran up to 60 km/h without problems. Moreover, it could be uncomfortable regarding the rigid front axle. In any case, care had to be taken to keep sufficient distance in the absence of front brakes.

More was actually not to consider, except the complicated start or rather crank ceremony from today's perspective. Four speeds were actually pure luxury, because anyway, one mostly remained in the third. Gear changes were not very popular due to quite stubborn transmissions at the time. But an engine (Picture 6 below) with more stroke than bore and such a low rated speed supported in all respects. In addition, you could even save the manual ignition adjustment (see steering wheel).



The first type of these new savings series was the 8/18 of 1910 with the same cubic capacity and slightly less compression (4.2 : 1). The 8/18 was developed actually in Gaggenau, the Süddeutsche Automobilfabrik belonging to Benz since 1907. There were trucks produced, under Daimler management rather parts of it today. Maybe hence 8/18 and 8/20 had their good 'constitution' that was hard to shake. By the way, Daimler and Benz were still fierce competitors at the time.

Benz was technically probably a little ahead with its four cylinders in a block. Daimler sat it together of two blocks. One could describe the 8/18 from 1910 as a car prepared for many years. Even far beyond the First World War its technology remained in existence. The next crucial big change, the four-wheel brake, came only after about 15 years. 07/15