Karl Benz’s 1886 Patent-Motorwagen was no more than an interesting toy for parading around in until his wife, business partner and majority shareholder in the business, Bertha, decided to shake things up a bit.
So, one day in 1888, she packed some bags, loaded up their two teenage sons and drove the car to visit her mum who lived just over 100 kilometres away.
It was quite an adventure, with the first challenge being to find pharmacies that stocked the petro-benzine (dry-cleaning fluid/cigar lighter fuel) needed to fuel the vehicle on its journey.
She also found that the brakes didn’t work terribly well so a detour, to find a cobbler and have him nail pieces of boot leather onto the wooden brake blocks, was called for. These, incidentally, became the industry’s first brake linings. No kudos expected or called for; a woman’s just gotta do what a woman’s gotta do.
Word of the adventure spread, giving their little automobile company the exposure needed to make it the success it is today. And set in motion a revolution that motorised the world.
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