More than a century ago, cars were only beginning to exist, and Mercedes-Benz was already thinking how to move things, not just people. In 1896, the company, that at the time was called Benz & Cie, fabricated what many considered the first delivery van in the world. It was given to the big Bon Marché stores, in Paris, for a price of 4,500 marks, which today would be about 2,300 euros.
That vehicle looked more like a horse-free carriage than a truck because it didn’t have a steering wheel, and the driver was more exposed than what the vehicle was carrying. However, this was a huge accomplishment for the company, and it marked the beginning of a story that today makes the 130th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
The first models: simple, ingenious and ahead of their time
In the beginning, Benz & Cie created two types of vans inspired by the cars of that time.
- The first, called “closed body car”, was based on the 1893 Benz Victoria, a two places vehicle with a folding roof.
- The second, a mixed van, inspired by the Benz Velocipede, which was a smaller and lighter model without a roof.
The interesting thing about this mixed versions is that the car body was easy to disassemble. In only a few minutes, it could have passed from being a cargo vehicle, to a tourism car with two sits. Very similar to today’s van which can still be used for either work or taking passengers.
Both models had the engines at the back, afour-stroke single-cylinder. In the delivery model, it had 2.7 liters and in the mixed of 1.0 liter, with powers between 2.75 and 6 horsepower.
They could reach between 15 y 20 km/h, and they could transport about 300 kilos (a lot more than what a horse could carry), which at the time was cutting-edge technology.
The oldest van in circulation
There are still a few ones conserved like historical jewels: the Benz Ideal Van, built in 1899 under Hewetson’s Ltd. license, in the United Kingdom. From a time when the German company had already some international reach. Its 3-horsepower engine can still move 100 kilos of cargo, plus the driver. Is three years more modern than the first one, but it still keeps the charm.
Today, this gem is part of the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection and it has been completely restored to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
The brand plans to exhibit it in historical events along with its most newest lines, led by the Sprinter, a model that has become the chosen one for 77% of European customers, according to the magazine Car and Driver, and the expert Dirk Weyhenmeyer, Mercedes-Benz historian in Germany.
From past to present: 130 years of innovation
To celebrate 130 years is not that common, not for a person and not for a company. Which is why for the brand it’s a huge deal. It’s recognizing that what started as an idea for carrying stuff on a simpler way decades ago, developed into moving goods across the world.
From that order that Bon Marché placed in 1896 to today’s Sprinter, Mercedes continues to be one of the best in the market.
It has been a long ride
What started as Benz & Cie and what could only be an advanced carriage, has become the history of ongoing innovation. The Benz Victoria, Benz Velocipede, and Benz Ideal Van were the first steps to a brand that today is still leading the industry.
Who doesn’t know what a Mercedes-Benz is? Exactly… these 130 years not only celebrate the past and what they have accomplished so far, it also motivates to continue developing the way we move throughout the world.