Gottlieb Daimler assembles his first automobile

Background. Daimler was fired by Otto in 1880, and Maybach soon quit, whereupon the two began working as partners. They later set up shop in Cannstatt, financed by Daimler's savings and Deutz shares, with the goal of creating small, high-speed engines to be mounted in any kind of locomotion device. In 1885 they built the Standuhr engine and created a carburettor mixing petrol with air for use as fuel, setting the stage for mounting these engines onto existing vehicles.

Assembly of the Carriage. In March 1886, Daimler and Maybach secretly brought an American Model coach made by Wilhelm Wimpff and Sohn into their house. They adapted this horse-drawn carriage by mounting their engine to drive two of the wheels. This vehicle was a precursor to an automobile, distinct from purpose-built designs.

Classification and Distinction. The adapted carriage was not classified as an automobile because it was a purchased stagecoach modified with an engine. In contrast, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen had a chassis designed from the beginning as an integral part of a motorized vehicle, qualifying it for a patent as an invention.