Who created the world’s first car is actually a matter of debate; since the invention of the engine, people had been installing them on horse carriages to make them self-propelled. Even when automobiles specifically designed for engines came around, they were hardly recognizable as a car by today’s standards. However, the first patented automobile, a vehicle specifically designed to be propelled by an engine, was built by Karl Benz and completed in 1885.

Karl Benz’s company would later merge and restructure to become the company that is now Mercedes-Benz, an automotive giant that is recognized worldwide. Benz’s wife, Bertha, funded the project and took the first automobile on a 120-mile round trip, making the first long-distance journey in a car. She demonstrated ingenuity along the way, inventing brake pads when she had a shoe shop install leather brake pads over her worn wooden brakes, fixing an uninsulated wire with her garter, and enlisting a blacksmith to fix a broken drive chain.

The success of Karl’s creation and Bertha’s journey proved that the automobile was a viable form of transportation, and launched a company that would survive two world wars, the Great Depression, and thrive into the modern-day. It’s difficult to picture what the world would be like today without these two pioneers, but we at Ekart Automotive in Manhattan are glad they achieved their goal. When you face challenges along your journey, come by and see us; we channel our inner Bertha Benz every day, to bring you the best automotive care.