Lot 210: 1900 BENZ 'IDEAL' 4½HP VIS-À-VIS

Car/ Black with yellow lining and wheels

Engine: rear-mounted horizontal single-cylinder 115 x 110mm bore & stroke, 1,143cc, water-cooled with electric ignition and Benz surface carburettor; Gearbox: three speed & reverse with belt primary drive and side-chain final drive; Chassis: wood and steel with full-elliptic front and semi-elliptic rear springs. Wooden wheels with solid rubber tyres. Left hand drive.

Carl Benz of Mannheim, Germany, built his first motorcar in 1885 and patented it in January 1886. It was a three-wheeler but featured most of the Benz characteristics that remained unchanged until the turn of the century: a rear-mounted horizontal engine with electric ignition, belt primary drive and final-drive to the rear wheels by side chains. Vehicles based on this layout were the first motorcars made to a standard pattern that were sold to the public. Large four wheeled cars were introduced in 1893, and the first lightweight motorcar, the 1½ hp Vélocipède, was on the market by 1894. With their readily accessible and easily understood mechanical elements and two-speed belt-drive, Vélos proved popular with many pioneer motorists, the more so when the horsepower was increased to 3 in 1898, this type then becoming known as the 'Comfortable'. Just over 2,300 Benz cars of all types had been sold to customers across the globe by the end of 1900, with more than 60 per cent of production being Vélos and derivatives thereof.

Changes in the overall design of Benz cars were few; a horizontally-opposed two-cylinder engine had been introduced in 1897 but it was not until in the latter part of 1899 that the first really significant development occurred with the production of the 'geared Benz'. This had the countershaft with its two belt-driven change-speed pulleys replaced by a transverse gearbox, whilst the water tank was re-located at the front of the car under a dummy bonnet, which necessitated the use of a chain-driven water-pump. Only a single primary drive belt was now required which also served the function of clutch, whilst the dual chain final drive was retained. This geared car had the cylinder bore increased by 5mm to give 4½ horsepower and the gearbox enabled the controls grouped around the vertical steering column to be simplified. When the model was introduced wire wheels were standard, but wooden wheels became an option during 1900, and either type could be fitted with solid or pneumatic tyres.

The name 'Ideal' to describe variations on the Vélo seems to have been introduced by the English Benz agent, Henry Hewetson, in his 1899 catalogue, with Numbers 1 and 2, a Dog Cart and a Van all being described and illustrated as 'Ideal' models, whilst the Benz German catalogue makes no mention of the name. In 1900 it was though adopted by the parent firm to describe the new geared model and the three languages January 1901 catalogue states that the Ideal 'runs at a maximum speed of 24 miles an hour and ascends gradients of up to 20. It also rather charmingly mentions that it is for '3 persons and on demand a back seat for a groom [could be fitted]'. The vehicle may be a horseless carriage, but the terminology had not yet caught up with the situation.

This car has all its correct mechanical elements present (including the oft-discarded surface carburettor), as well as the controls. The engine bearers are properly embossed 'ORIG BENZ MOTOR' and as later examples of the horizontal engines should have there is a cover over the big end and crank, with lubrication via sight-feed oilers rather than screw-down greasers. The bodywork appears to have been rebuilt at some stage although it may contain some of the original structure and it is essentially to the correct pattern when compared with period illustrations.

Surviving examples of this last manifestation of the rear-engined Benz motorcar are few, and the opportunity is now presented to obtain a vehicle that provides the link between the very origins of motoring and those outstanding Benz cars that were yet to come.

*this is merely a number on the engine, it is not an actual Benz Engine number