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Bertha Benz drove Mercedes

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basilio

basilio

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The first motor car (horseless carriage..) was produced by Karl Benz. But the real driver behind the wheel, figuratively and literally, was his wife Bertha.

She financed the development of the vehicle; she contributed substantially to the design and engineering of the prototypes.

Karl was a perfectionist who would never release his carriage until it was "perfect" . Bertha decided the only way to prove how good the vehicle was and get the publicity that would kick off public interest was to actually road test.

So on the 5th August 1888 she rounded up her two boys put them in the Motorwagen and set off for a 106 Klm cross country trip to see her mum.

Amazing story and well worth reading. I've decided to use Bertha Benz as my current Avatar.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_Benz
 
Impressive woman! Get the feeling Karl was a techno nerd who would have been happy tinkering forever without her.

Reminds me of the New Zealander Richard William Pearse who flew a plane 9 months before the Wright Brothers but never took advantage of it. He needed a Bertha in his life.
 
One discovers all sorts of interesting asides checking up new info.
This video shows how the Mercedes name became the basis for the Diamler-Benz cars.
Also brings explains the Daimler connection.
 
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