Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica for sale on BaT Auctions – ending November 23 (Lot #171,706)

This Benz Patent-Motorwagen replica is #044 of a limited number that were built by John Bentley and Sons Engineering, LTD in North Yorkshire, England, for Daimler-Benz to commemorate the 100th anniversary of their first automobile. It is said to have been displayed in a Mercedes-Benz showroom in Richmond, Virginia, before it was purchased by the seller in 2023. The vehicle is constructed of a tubular steel frame and wood, and it is powered by a 954cc single-cylinder engine that drives the rear wheels via a leather belt, a single-speed planetary transmission, and two drive chains. It also has a spring-mounted seat upholstered in black leather and a tiller-style steering system. This Patent-Motorwagen replica is now offered in New Jersey with a spare can of fuel and a bill of sale.

Carl Benz developed his three-wheeled Motorwagen in his Mannheim, Germany, workshop and was later granted a patent for a vehicle powered by a gas engine. This example features a tubular steel frame finished in black, and brass hardware is used to affix the wood floor platform and seat assembly to the frame.

The steel-spoked wheels are wrapped in solid rubber tires, and the front wheel is mounted to an unsprung fork. The rear suspension consists of elliptic springs on each side of the rear axle. Braking is via a lever to the left of the seat, which also controls forward drive. To slow the car, the lever is pulled backward to tighten a band on the transmission drum. The steering tiller pivots the front wheel via a rack and pinion gear that pushes or pulls a linkage arm to turn the wheel.

The carriage-style bench seat is upholstered in tufted black leather with an upholstered back and armrests.

A brass plaque with the serial number MBCC No. 044 is mounted below the seat.

The 954cc single-cylinder engine replicates Carl Benz’s design and was factory rated at approximately ¾ horsepower. Equipment includes a counter-weighted crankshaft, a slide-design intake valve controlled by an eccentric rod, and an exhaust poppet valve opened by a cam disk, rocker arm, and pushrod. The engine uses a drip oiling system as well as an evaporative cooling system using water from a reservoir. Engine speed is controlled by a sleeve valve that allows the fuel drip to be increased or decreased. Benzine is supplied to the engine from a brass fuel tank. A start-up and driving video is viewable in the gallery below.

A leather belt transfers power from the engine-mounted pulley to a planetary transmission beneath the seat. The single-speed transmission is manipulated by the hand lever to control the belt from a neutral drum to a forward drum on the exposed transmission. The output shaft sends power to the rear wheels through chains on either end of the rear axle.

The vehicle does not have a title and is not intended for street use. It is sold on a bill of sale.