On 29 January 1886, Karl Benz (at that time written with 'K') applied for a patent on his "gas-powered vehicle". Since 2011 this birth certificate of the automobile with combustion engine (DRP 37435) is part of UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme, which also includes the Gutenberg Bible, the Magna Carta and Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor.

The above picture shows a replica of the first car with four-stroke combustion engine. A patent is given 1886. The engine is suitable according to patent specification for "light carriages" and "smallships to transport "one to four persons". The first ride Karl Benz undertakes on 3 July. Although there is opposition, especially from France and Italy, must be acknowledged, that it is not only a multi-lane vehicle with four-stroke engine travels a certain distance - with liquid fuel for the first time - but then pushes essentially the development of motor vehicles.

The press follows the project with positive, but also many negative headlines. Also appears no business success, despite a great appreciation. Finally his two sons, Richard (13) and Eugene (15) and his wife take the initiative without his knowledge and risk in 1888, the first longer trip (more than 100 km) from Mannheim to Pforzheim. On fogged with iron wooden wheels with leather spanned block brakes this is quite an achievement.

In the case of a number of incidents are necessary improvised solutions or help from professionals (such as the village blacksmith). The clogged fuel supply must be made passable again. Uphill must be pushed partly, bigger mountain routes must be avoided. Downhill is due to the leather-coated, wear-prone block brake often even more difficult. However, the trio comes first only to the pharmacy in Wiesloch. Through the sale of 10 liters of ligroin (light gasoline), it becomes the first 'Petrol Station' in the world. Next fuel is used more than tenfold of water, because by its evaporation it is the only effective source for cooling the engine. Even at night one will arrive in Pforzheim although one is driven off early in the morning.

Only when one experienced once the replica of this car in driving, one realizes something of the difficulties. Here the mechanisms to operate are smoothly. However, the transmision and partly also the engine speed is not really controllable. Significantly, the idle speed is higher than that at driving. There is really only declutched stopping or relatively steady drive, as long as no acclivity comes. Thereby the volume level keeps within limits at significantly noticeable ignitions of the cylinder. 01/16