A replica of the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen fired up on the very first try. Waiting beside it for a photo was Karsten's Stirlingkit DM229.
On 27 September 2026, Klassikstadt in Frankfurt hosted "Sternentreffen" ("Meeting of the Stars"), a vintage Mercedes meet. To mark 140 years since the invention of the automobile, the Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz brought a working 1:1 replica of the Carl Benz Patent-Motorwagen and demonstrated it to visitors.
Karsten had just finished building his Stirlingkit TECHING DM229. He decided to take it along to meet the vehicle it is modeled on.
In Karsten's Words
On 27th September 2026 I attended the vintage Mercedes car meet at Klassikstadt Frankfurt themed "Sternentreffen" (translates into "Meeting of the Stars" in allusion to the Mercedes Star logo). In addition to legendary Mercs like the 300 SL Gullwing, a replica of the Carl Benz Patent Motorwagen had been announced to commemorate and celebrate the 140th anniversary of the invention of the world's first motorcar, so I brought my recently finished Stirlingkit DM 229 model for a photoshoot and comparison with the real vehicle.
The Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz owning the replica kindly demonstrated it to the audience. What surprised me most is the complicated process of starting up the three-wheeler's engine that includes shaking the entire vehicle to evenly distribute the gas, and that the engine started instantly at the first attempt! It is striking how similar Stirlingkit's model even sounds (if you ignore the whirr of the electric engine). Not only other visitors took a curious interest in Stirlingkit's model (and photos), the museum's curators, too, invited me to their lunch table to take a closer look and have a chat.
Karsten, 1-18-KARmania.de
Small and Full Scale, Side by Side
Karsten filmed the DM229 together with the full-size replica, so you can compare the two in motion.
Watching the Replica Run
Karsten also recorded the replica being driven at the event.
Why This Moment Matters
The DM229 recreates the vehicle from 1886. On January 29 of that year, Carl Benz applied for a patent on his gasoline-powered vehicle, and patent number 37435 is now widely regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile. In August 1888, his wife Bertha Benz took one of the cars on what is widely regarded as the first long-distance journey in automotive history.
Seeing a 1:10 desk model stand beside its full-size counterpart, 140 years later, is not a picture you come across every day.
Want to Build a Piece of This History?
The DM229 is Stirlingkit's 1:10 recreation of the world's first automobile. If you enjoy car history and want to see how this vehicle goes together piece by piece, you can find out more about the TECHING DM229.
Your Turn
Which era of car do you most enjoy collecting or building in miniature? Or have you seen a Patent-Motorwagen replica in person? Tell us in the comments.
Videos and photos courtesy of Karsten (1-18-KARmania.de), used with his permission.
About Karsten
Karsten Weiss has collected 1/18 scale model cars for over 30 years, mainly British motorcars, European luxury cars and hypercars. He shows his collection on 1-18-KARmania.de and writes model reviews for Diecast Society.
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