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By
Billie Ann Lopez & Peter Hirsch
"Miracles
are expected from those who are capable of making them." Emil
Jellinek, October, 1900
Though little
known beyond its own borders, the first "horseless"
carriage powered by an internal-combustion engine was built in
Austria by Siegfried Marcus (1831-1898). While only a drawing
and photograph remain of his first motorized cart, thought to be from
about 1875, his second, built between 1887/89, survives.
However, according to the current edition of the Encyclopaedia
Britannica, because Marcus was of Jewish descent, "museum
authorities had to hide the vehicle to prevent its destruction during
the Nazi years." Today, it can again be seen amongst many
other motorcar treasures in Vienna's Technisches Museum (Technology Museum).
Click
on photo for larger view
Initially,
Siegfried Marcus invented an inexpensive apparatus for the
"carbonization of air", a carburetor using air and
gasoline, to drive a stationary engine. Later, he applied the
same technique, plus his electromagnetic ignition system, to
successfully fuel and power a motorized cart. This apparatus
represented a major step in the development of the modern
automobile. Marcus was a prodigious inventor holding over a
hundred patents for inventions ranging from electric lamps, pumps,
engines, to drawing implements. His magneto- electrical
ignition system was remarkably advanced and led the way for later developments.
The Siegfried
Marcus motorcar has a one cylinder engine of 1.57 liters, .75
horsepower, 500 rotations per minute, and reaches a speed of about
eight kilometers per hour. In 1950, more than three-quarters of
a century after it was first driven, another Austrian engineer
successfully overhauled Siegfried Marcus's horseless cart and
demonstrated that it could still be driven.
The
"horseless" carriage has been a work-in-progress for more
than a century and Siegfried Marcus is just one of scores of
international inventors and improvers. Carl Benz from Mannheim,
another important figure in the early development of the automobile,
is credited with building the first practical motorcar powered by an
internal-combustion (250 rpm) engine using three wheels in 1883 or
1885. In 1890, he added a fourth wheel. An important
feature of his design was the much improved steering based on pivots
which is basically the same steering system we use today.
Benz's wife Bertha, by the way, was the first to drive a motorcar
overland--from Mannheim to Pforzheim, a distance of more than 80
kilometers. She averaged a speed of 20 km per hour. (A
replica of this motorcar can be seen in the Old Timer Museum
Kröpfel described below.) Benz began producing a series of
racing cars in 1899.
Gottlieb
Daimler and his colleague Wilhelm Maybach developed and patented one
of the first fast-running internal-combustion engines (900 rpm) and
developed a carburetor that could use gasoline as well. In
1885, they tested their engine on a bicycle, transforming it into
perhaps the first motorcycle. They also adapted a four wheel
horse-drawn dogcart by fitting the engine into the former dog box in
the rear (1886), and then built a motorboat (1887), before designing
and making their own first automobile in 1889 using a tiller for
steering. Benz & Co. and Daimler Motoren-Gesellschaft
merged in 1926 to form Daimler-Benz, maker of Mercedes-Benz, though
their founders never actually met.
The adoption
of the name "Mercedes" (without accents) came in
1900/01. Mércèdes was the eleven year old
daughter of Emil Jellinek, an Austrian Jew, who was a passionate
motorcar sportsman and competitor, racing under the pseudonym
"Monsieur Mércèdes". He was also a
salesman of genius whose enthusiasm and brilliant intelligence led to
further improvements in the motorcar. Jellinek wanted Daimler
and Maybach to build an engine that could do 40 km/h. He wanted
the engine moved to the front of the vehicle. He wanted
electric ignition instead of a gas-fed glow tube. And he wanted
four cylinders, instead of the standard two. To encourage
compliance for those particular specifications, he guaranteed sales
of six cars. Always, he backed up his demands with guaranteed
sales for compliance. More than any other individual, Jellinek
was the catalyst between the Daimler factory and the customers.
In those early years, Jellinek purchased more than 140 Daimler
motorcars. Jellinek became Daimler's sole distributor outside
of Germany, ordering motorcars for Austria, Hungary, France, Belgium,
and the U.S.
Another
important ingredient for Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft's success was
Wilhelm Maybach whose genius for engineering perfection made it
possible to create the modern high-performance motorcar sought by
Emil Jellinek. Jellinek bought 36 Daimler Simplex 40 hp built
to his specifications in 1900 for a total price of 550,000 Goldmarks
and marketed them under the Mercedes name. Later, he added the
name Mercedes to his own becoming Emil
Jellinek-Mércèdes. A second younger daughter's
nickname, Maya, was used for a less successful Austro-Daimler.
The Austrian
firm Gräf started making motorcars in 1893 and developed the
first front-wheel drive around 1900. Later, Gräf &
Stift became makers of luxury motorcars, while Austro Daimler in
Wiener Neustadt became known for their excellence in manufacturing sportscars.
The first
Porsches, named after its Austrian makers, were built in Austria
before the company moved to Germany in 1949. Ferdinand Porsche
had worked for Lohner, Austrian manufacturers of motorcars and later
scooters, and developed a revolutionary electric car. Because
batteries were only suitable for short distances, Porsche also
developed the first hybrid car using a gasoline engine that powered a
generator which, in turn, electrically charged the motors residing
within the wheel hubs. Trucks using this system were
successfully used in the mountains by the Austrian artillery.
A
Lohner-Porsche motorcar is on exhibit at Vienna's Technology Museum
as is another Austrian electric motorcar, the Egger-Lohner from
1899. The Egger-Lohner motorcar had a more conventional drive
with its engine not directly in its wheels, but instead had its
wheels powered through a differential and gears. These vehicles
were exhibited at the first international Automobile Exhibition in
1900 in Paris, with Lohner and Porsche recognized as the builders of
both types.
In 1906
Ferdinand Porsche joined Austro-Daimler, a maker of luxury cars and
trucks. Following World War I, Porsche moved to Germany and
eventually developed the first Volkswagen Beetle. Another
Austrian company, Laurent & Klement, later became Skoda and is
part of the Volkswagen empire today.
BMW is another
name linked to Austria. In the 1950s, BMW had only two car
models: an old-fashioned eight cylinder luxury car that was
being squeezed by Mercedes, and a tiny minicar that had become too
small and unpopular. BMW almost folded as a result, but then
the Austrian Wolfgang Denzel designed a small car that could be
produced quickly which was a success as the BMW 700. BMW's
modern diesel engines were developed by yet another Austrian company,
AVL List in Graz. Denzel still sells BMW cars.
Steyr emerged
from a World War I arms factory and began building cars for the home
market and for export in the 1920s and 1930s. Their Steyr 50/55
"Baby" was particularly successful. They merged with
(Austro) Daimler and Puch, and went on to build small and very
popular cars based on Fiat models for a while after World War
II. They started building four wheel drive cars in the 1960s
and built the famous Haflinger and Pinzgauer for military and
civilian use. Later they built the G-Wagen for Mercedes and
Chrysler vans as well as Jeep Grand Cherokees.
Austria's
independent motorcar industry mostly ended with the outbreak of World
War II when it was absorbed into the German war machine. Today,
however, Austrian manufacturing companies still play a substantial
role as subcontractors to international automotive industries.
VIENNA'S
TECHNOLOGY MUSEUM
motorcar collection represents more than a century of the automotive
industry and features exhibits from all over Europe and the U.S.
Many of its exhibit texts are in both German and English. The
Museum is located at Mariahilferstrasse 212 in the 14th District and
is open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m. to 8
p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
THERE ARE
THREE MORE MOTORCAR MUSEUMS
near Vienna also featuring restored European and American motor cars
from the late 19th century on through much of the 20th century.
(Locations, driving instructions, and opening hours are listed at the
end of the text.)
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THE OLD
TIMER MUSEUM KRÖPFEL
is south of Vienna in Hartberg. It contains 230 restored
motorcars built between 1886 and 1970. At the entrance of the
museum, there is a replica of the first Benz motor car from 1886
mentioned above.
Many fine
examples of early Benz, Daimler, and Mercedes-Benz cars are on
display as well as an Austrian Puch Alpenwagen from 1919, a French
Stimula from 1908, Citroen 5CV from 1922, a Peugeot 172 HP Tourer
from 1924, a 1923 Silver Ghost Rolls Royce, and many Austrian Steyrs
from the 1920s and 1930s. A special treat is the French 1897
Brouhot which has chains going to its rear wheels. Another
beauty is the French Millot from 1898 in which passengers sat in
front of the driver. There are also some wonderful American models
like a Ford "Tin Lizzie", a Packard Twin 6 from 1916, and
several early Cadillacs.
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THE
AUTOMOBIL & MOTORRAD MUSEUM AUSTRIA
in Mitterndorf has 250 vehicles including a Cadillac A from 1903 with
its engine under the seat and chain drive to its rear wheels, a Steyr
II from 1920 with two spares in front, a Gräf & Stift
from 1910 with carbide lights, a Ford Model A Doctor's Coupe from
1931 and a Ford Model AA Campionette from 1929, a Packard 6 from
1927, and many others from the 1930s to the 1970s. Some can be
rented for special occasions, and some are for sale.
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THE
AUTOMOBIL MUSEUM IN ASPANG AM WECHSEL
has 120 motor cars from 1888 to 1960. Amongst its treasures are
a Vermorell Torpedo Doctor Wagon from 1911, a Renault Doctor Wagon
from 1910, an Adler from 1910, a range of Austrian Steyrs such as a
Steyr Opel from 1932, Steyr 100 Cabriolet, and a wonderful little
Steyr 50, a Praga-Alfa from 1929, a Tatra from 1934, and a Praga
Piccolo from 1933.
Although
the focus of this piece has been on the automobile, all of these
collections include Old Timer bicycles, motor scooters, and
motorcycles as well. Exploring Austrian Old Timer collections
of European and American motorcars, is great fun for the whole
family. Enjoy!
By
Billie Ann Lopez & Peter Hirsch
Proud
owners of an elegant 1959 Mark IX Jaguar, old English white with red
leather interior, and a not-so-elegant 1958 Series I, 107 inch wheel
base, RAF blue Land Rover Station Wagon. |
