Benz Victoria No. 99
Probably the oldest car in Germany has passed a TÜV inspection
Owner Karl-Heinz Rehkopf comes to the TÜV main inspection with his Benz Victoria number 99. photo
© Swen Pförtner/dpa
Six hp, a top speed of 30 kilometers and always a large trowel on board: the Benz Victoria number 99 is almost 130 years old. A real museum piece.
The TÜV certified the roadworthiness of what is probably the oldest car in Germany on Monday. The almost 130-year-old example of the Benz Victoria model passed the main inspection at Tüv Nord in Einbeck, Lower Saxony, and received the inspection sticker for two more years, as the organization announced. From Tuesday the vehicle, which looks more like a carriage, can be seen again in the PS-speicher car museum in Einbeck.
Numerous special regulations apply to the car with the model number 99. Because it only has candle-lit lamps, it can only be driven during the day. And for blinking, a large trowel must always be on board.
With its six hp, the car can reach speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour. It has a three-litre, single-cylinder engine and is steered by a handlebar. According to TÜV, it could also be the oldest car in the world.
The car was last on the test bench two years ago, and there were no complaints then either. “We maintain the vehicle all year round anyway,” said a spokesman for the museum.