IO – Celebrating 50 years of its dealership in Indonesia, Mercedes-Benz distribution Indonesia handed over the replica of the world’s first Benz Patent-Motorwagen or Benz Patent Motor Car to the Indonesian National Museum. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz’s success in Indonesia, the handover of the car was held at the National Museum Saturday, February 8, 2020. From February 8 to 15, 2020, a replica of the Patent-Motorwagen Benz car will be on display in a temporary exhibition titled “Journey to 50 years of success Mercedes-Benz in Indonesia” at the Indonesian National Museum.
President Director of PT Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia, Choi Duk Jun said “We are very happy to be able to donate the original replica of the world’s first car, Benz Patent-Motorwagen, to the National Museum of Indonesia. Mercedes-Benz has played an important role in the history of mobility in Indonesia because the first car present in Indonesia was Benz. With this donation, we support the Indonesian National Museum in carrying out its mission to present Indonesia’s territory and its history. Therefore, we are proud to celebrate 50 years of Mercedes-Benz in Indonesia by contributing to the museum and its efforts in the field of education and culture of transportation.”
As the first car in the world, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen has become a pioneering symbol of the spirit of perfection. In time, this three-wheeled motorized vehicle showed that mobility has reached a new era. Daimler motor vehicles became the first four-wheeled motorized vehicles.
Benz Patent-Motorwagen power came from a 954 cc single cylinder four stroke engine. The design of this vehicle already had several key features found in most internal combustion engines today, including a crankshaft with a counterweight, electric ignition and water cooling. This unit can produce a maximum power of 0.55 kW at 400rpm / minute.
In 1970, PT Star Motors Indonesia – the result of a joint venture between Daimler-Benz AG and PT Gading Mas – was established as the sole agent of Daimler-Benz products in Indonesia. In the same year, a new assembly plant of PT German Motor Manufacturing was built for the production of Daimler-Benz products. In 1971, the factory in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, began mass production of a commercial vehicle, the Mercedes-Benz 911. The truck production was then followed by the assembly of buses and passenger cars.
“We are very proud to have been part of the 50th anniversary celebration of Mercedes-Benz in Indonesia today. Since the first Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle was assembled at a factory in Indonesia – then the Mercedes-Benz L 911 in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta – our company has been part of the contribution of industrialization in Indonesia. In addition, we are in the stage of developing public transportation through our buses,” concluded Jung-Woo Park, President Director, PT Daimler Commercial Vehicle Indonesia.
Meanwhile President Director of Mercedes-Benz Indonesia Patrick Schwind added that the purpose of donating the original replica of the world’s first car, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen to the National Museum of Indonesia is to make it available for the public to know about the car.
Maththias Ohnemuller, Counselor of the Economic Section of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Jakarta, said that he was pleased with this event. He also is glad that during 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries there has been frequent cooperation between the two countries, and there will be more bilateral cooperation that is mutually beneficial to both countries. This event is intended to give the public an outstanding example of products from Germany. (ohw)