When the Emil Jellinek applied to DMG (Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft) in the early 1900s a car that would be built exactly to spec that he was asking for, was born Mercedes 35 HPthe first model with the name Mercedes.
It turned out she was the best decision that could ever get the Daimlerthe automotive industry that existed before Mercedes-Benz was created as we know it today. The cars that began to be built from then on combined style, character, power and reliability.
From 1902 onwards, the DMG make it permanent “Mercedes” in all its models, before the automobile industry was created once and for all Mercedes-Benz in 1926.
In the same year, Daimler presented her Simplexan identical model to the first, just with 40 horsepower. Its engineers worked feverishly on its development until end of 1902the Mercedes Simplex 60 HP it was the most powerful model that the company had manufactured until then.
THE four cylinder that moved her had a huge capacity at 9.25 liters and innovative architecture for the time. Its top speed reached almost 130 km/hwhich made her one of the fastest cars of the time. Its sales moved just as fast.
In total, 102 units were built between 1902 and 1905 and only five of them have survived to this day. The first one that left the factory is – and probably will be forever – at Mercedes-Benz Museum. In fact, it had been bought and used by him Emil Jellinek.
Another Mercedes Simplex 60 HP she is the one we now have in front of us in photos. A tycoon publisher, Mr Alfred CW Harmsworth the distant one bought her 1902 and he kept it until the day of his death, two decades later.
His 12-year-old son inherited the car and he, in turn, passed it on to his offspring some 65 years later. Between 1987 and 2024, the Mercedes Simplex had just two owners.
In short, this Mercedes Simplex 60 HPone of the models that shaped her history Mercedes-Benzremained in the possession of the same family for about 122 years. In fact, the owners didn’t even know its value.
Recently the car, sold for $11 million and that’s how it happened the most expensive antique (ie car from before 1930) that has ever been sold to auction.
