Cars from 1878 to 1920 - The forerunners
Mercedes Type 28/50
1905
Code 1514
Body style: double phaeton
In the early 20th century, Daimler, under the inspiration of Emil Jellinek, developed a model that truly ushered in the age of the automobile. It was named after Emil Jellinek’s daughter Mercedes, and boasted a pressed steel chassis, an accelerator pedal and a honeycomb radiator. The 28/50 was one of the early Mercedes models, and its features were subsequently copied by most manufactures.
The long wheelbase gave passengers plenty of room. However, the huge chassis and its heavy weight meant it was difficult to reach its top speed of 80 kph (50 mph). Drivers needed to be very alert and physically strong, particularly for braking, which required strong calf muscles. The model therefore also included an emergency brake that passengers in the rear seats could pull with a big lever.
The qualities that we still associate with Mercedes – comfort, finishing and reliability – were nonetheless present right from the outset.
