The bold start-up spirit extended as far as the family. The world’s first long-distance journey in an automobile was undertaken not by either of the inventors, but by Bertha Benz, the wife of Carl.
At the wheel of the further-developed patent motor car, the production version, known also as the Model 3, she set off in August 1888 on an around 110-kilometre-long journey from Mannheim to Pforzheim. She was accompanied by her sons, Eugen and Richard. The world premiere with 1.8 kW (2.5 PS) under realistic conditions demonstrated the huge potential of the automobile. In this way, the long-distance journey of 1888 was of similar importance to today’s tests of autonomous and electric vehicles.