THE BENZ MOTORWAGEN-1888

the Benz Patent Motorwagen built in 1886 by Karl Benz was awarded the German patent..It was the first automobile in the world.It was propelled by a single cylinder four stroke IC Engine powered by gasoline.
This is a prototype built in Coimbatore and is on display at the GeeDee Museum here.
The Motorwagen was considered dangerous & unsafe when first introduced.To prove them wrong Bartha (Benz's wife) set out with her sons Richard 13 yrs and Ruben 15 yrs without telling her husband or obtaining permission of authorities. She drove from Mannheim to Pforzheim on 5 August 1888 & became the first person to ever drive an automobile over a distance of 106 kms.