Auto Car | 1907 Daimler Dernburg Wagen | The first all-wheel-drive car for everyday use was built by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) in 1907. The "Dernburg-Wagen", as it was known, even featured all-wheel steering. It is called after the then Secretary of State of the Colonial Office Bernhard Dernburg who drove many a kilometer in it in Africa the following year.
In fact the all-wheel-drive history of the company began slightly earlier, in 1903, when Paul Daimler laid the foundations for this technology with a first design draft. The first all-wheel-drive vehicle appeared in 1904, and was quickly followed by others. Since then, the watchword has been that all-wheel drive is the best technology when it comes to better traction and safe, assured progress. Over the decades it has been successfully used in all kinds of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, both passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and from vans to heavy-duty trucks. Some of these models, for example the G-Class or the Unimog, have gained a legendary worldwide reputation, and are to be found virtually everywhere on earth. All-wheel drive also scores heavily in day-to-day driving on normal roads, however, as the Mercedes-Benz saloons with 4MATIC demonstrate.
When placing its production order at the beginning of the last century, the German Colonial Office knew precisely what to expect from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG): a reliable vehicle which would withstand long journeys on unmade roads without complaint, while offering the flexibility that the motor vehicle had already amply demonstrated by the beginning of the last century. The engineer Paul Daimler, son of the company’s founder, was chiefly responsible for the design of the new vehicle which was finally built as a one-off at the factory in Berlin-Marienfelde in 1907. This all-wheel-drive vehicle was based on a DMG commercial vehicle chassis, and had a wheelbase of four meters with a track width of 1.42 meters. The ground clearance of 32 centimeters was not unusually large for the time, as almost all vehicles were often used on heavily rutted unmetalled roads. In 1908 "Allgemeine Automobil-Zeitung" (AAZ) wrote this about Daimler’s design: "All higher road obstacles are overcome by the robust front and rear axles, and the particularly vulnerable lower section of the gearbox housing is enclosed by a strong steel guard between the pressed frame cross-members, which is resistant enough to allow the entire frame to bottom."
The vehicle came on the market for a price of 34,750 Marks. It was fitted with a touring car body having two seats on the chauffeur’s bench and four seats in the rear. Only the rear passengers had doors, and large steps were provided to overcome the entry height of around one meter. Extending almost to the front end and mounted on eight poles, a sunshade prevented the driver from being dazzled even when the sun was low. A luggage rack was mounted on the back for cases or spare tires, with a further, large luggage rack on the roof protected by a tarpaulin. Awnings were affixed below the roof on both sides; these could be lowered to enclose the body and protect the occupants from wind, weather and sand. "To be sure, this Mercedes is not noticeable for its light and elegant construction; it has unmistakable external signs of power and endurance," wrote AAZ, however: "The overall impression of the vehicle has not suffered as a result of the special requirements."
With a length of around 4.90 meters and a height of a good 2.70 meters including the roof structure, the majestic vehicle weighed around 3.6 tonnes when fully laden with all the special items specified by the Colonial Office, such as a particularly heavy-duty clutch and petrol and coolant reserves for tropical conditions, replacement parts and tools.
Despite this the four-cylinder engine performed manfully, delivering a very respectable output of 35 hp (26 kW) from a displacement of about 6.8 litres at 800 rpm – allowing a maximum speed of around 40 km/h on level tarmac. In view of the intended operating conditions, the climbing ability made possible by the all-wheel drive was however more important: it was an outstanding 25 percent. The vehicle featured permanent all-wheel drive, the engine delivering its power to the four wheels via a sophisticated mechanical system. A shaft connected it to the centrally installed gearbox, which had four forward gears and one reverse gear. From there prop shafts transferred the torque to the front and rear axle differentials, which in turn used bevel gears to split and transfer it to the wheels.
Source : www.emercedesbenz.com
In fact the all-wheel-drive history of the company began slightly earlier, in 1903, when Paul Daimler laid the foundations for this technology with a first design draft. The first all-wheel-drive vehicle appeared in 1904, and was quickly followed by others. Since then, the watchword has been that all-wheel drive is the best technology when it comes to better traction and safe, assured progress. Over the decades it has been successfully used in all kinds of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, both passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and from vans to heavy-duty trucks. Some of these models, for example the G-Class or the Unimog, have gained a legendary worldwide reputation, and are to be found virtually everywhere on earth. All-wheel drive also scores heavily in day-to-day driving on normal roads, however, as the Mercedes-Benz saloons with 4MATIC demonstrate.
When placing its production order at the beginning of the last century, the German Colonial Office knew precisely what to expect from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG): a reliable vehicle which would withstand long journeys on unmade roads without complaint, while offering the flexibility that the motor vehicle had already amply demonstrated by the beginning of the last century. The engineer Paul Daimler, son of the company’s founder, was chiefly responsible for the design of the new vehicle which was finally built as a one-off at the factory in Berlin-Marienfelde in 1907. This all-wheel-drive vehicle was based on a DMG commercial vehicle chassis, and had a wheelbase of four meters with a track width of 1.42 meters. The ground clearance of 32 centimeters was not unusually large for the time, as almost all vehicles were often used on heavily rutted unmetalled roads. In 1908 "Allgemeine Automobil-Zeitung" (AAZ) wrote this about Daimler’s design: "All higher road obstacles are overcome by the robust front and rear axles, and the particularly vulnerable lower section of the gearbox housing is enclosed by a strong steel guard between the pressed frame cross-members, which is resistant enough to allow the entire frame to bottom."
The vehicle came on the market for a price of 34,750 Marks. It was fitted with a touring car body having two seats on the chauffeur’s bench and four seats in the rear. Only the rear passengers had doors, and large steps were provided to overcome the entry height of around one meter. Extending almost to the front end and mounted on eight poles, a sunshade prevented the driver from being dazzled even when the sun was low. A luggage rack was mounted on the back for cases or spare tires, with a further, large luggage rack on the roof protected by a tarpaulin. Awnings were affixed below the roof on both sides; these could be lowered to enclose the body and protect the occupants from wind, weather and sand. "To be sure, this Mercedes is not noticeable for its light and elegant construction; it has unmistakable external signs of power and endurance," wrote AAZ, however: "The overall impression of the vehicle has not suffered as a result of the special requirements."
With a length of around 4.90 meters and a height of a good 2.70 meters including the roof structure, the majestic vehicle weighed around 3.6 tonnes when fully laden with all the special items specified by the Colonial Office, such as a particularly heavy-duty clutch and petrol and coolant reserves for tropical conditions, replacement parts and tools.
Despite this the four-cylinder engine performed manfully, delivering a very respectable output of 35 hp (26 kW) from a displacement of about 6.8 litres at 800 rpm – allowing a maximum speed of around 40 km/h on level tarmac. In view of the intended operating conditions, the climbing ability made possible by the all-wheel drive was however more important: it was an outstanding 25 percent. The vehicle featured permanent all-wheel drive, the engine delivering its power to the four wheels via a sophisticated mechanical system. A shaft connected it to the centrally installed gearbox, which had four forward gears and one reverse gear. From there prop shafts transferred the torque to the front and rear axle differentials, which in turn used bevel gears to split and transfer it to the wheels.
Source : www.emercedesbenz.com
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