Benz, 1914, 8/20 PS Jagdwagen

Benz “8/20 PS Jagdwagen”, Schebera, 1914

The most important automotive companies in the early 1900s sold both racing cars and touring cars. Benz was one of them and near the 15.000 cc and 21.500cc racecars and the big 8-liter flagship cars, few years before WWI they introduced the 8/20 PS, a reliable touring car. The car shown in the museum has an interesting story because it was ordered by an Indian Maharaja, that's why the speedometer is in mph, not kph.
The unusual and unique bodywork was signed by Schebera, a company located in Hellbronn, not far from Stuttgart. Scheberas were part of a business family, known for armor manufacturing.
Their technical experience joins the hand-worked nickel-brass bonnet, radiator and headlights to the Vienna straw details which decorate the mahogany side panels of the body, part of the interior and the large external luggage rack. There was space for 6 people inside, thanks to the two folding emergency seats in the rear compartment.
The dashboard is full of instruments and the speedometer is in mph; on the outside there is an air horn shaped like a boa snake, which was applied in later years. In the early 70’s the car was fully restored with the technical assistance of the Daimler-Benz Museum.
The car was part of the prestigious “Collection de Mercedes du Musée de Schiffdorf”, following the premature passing of the collector Rolf Meyer it was then bought by Luciano Nicolis.
After more than a century, the odometer reads only 6.000km.

Our BENZ was also used in Mario Biondi's video, Deep Space.