1900 Benz | First Horizontally Opposed Piston Engine

Episode 39 of Inside Stahls where we learn the history of Carl Benz and the 1900 Benz. Carl Benz is credited with the invention of the gas-powered automobile. His Patent-Motorwagen of 1886 was a small two-passenger vehicle which featured a tubular steel frame, tiller steering, and a horizontally mounted rear engine. This first automobile boasted only a fraction of one horsepower, but would start a revolution in travel. By 1893, Carl Benz patented the double-pivot steering system, allowing two front wheels to be controlled at one central point, allowing his three-wheeler to become four-wheeled. In 1897, Benz produced a twin-cylinder engine called the “Contra” ; this new engine featured opposed horizontal cylinders, and allowed for smoother and more powerful propulsion. It is the Contra engine that gives this 1900 Benz its name. Owned by one English family for many years, this Benz Contra had its body heavily modified for their use. The seat at the front was added so that the owner’s daughter could be given a front-row seat for travel. The body was modified by Andrews Coachworks of Southampton, England, and is mostly based on the Benz Dos-a-Dos, a similar vehicle with a different style of front-mounted seat. Four-Cycle, Opposed, Two-Cylinder Engine Horsepower: 10 Displacement: 2690c Chesterfield, Michigan www.stahlsauto.com #carmuseum #stahlsauto #automuseum #benz #classiccars #carcollection #carmuseum #michiganmuseum #pistonengine #boxerengine