Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to Karl Benz's creation of the first petrol-powered car, the Benz Patent Motorwagen in 1886, financed by his wife, Bertha Benz. Bertha also proved the vehicle’s reliability by undertaking the very first long-distance journey by car in that same year. She successfully drove the Benz Patent Motorwagen 100 km from Mannheim to Pforzheim with her two sons to visit her mother. After this momentous road trip, Mercedes-Benz was the talk of the town. Over the past 70 years, Mercedes became renowned for its elegant design, high-quality engines, excellent performance and reliability over long distances, just as Bertha Benz set out to prove more than 130 years ago.