Engineer, Inventor. He gained fame as a German automobile engineer and designer who was a pioneer in automobile production, which eventually led to the luxury automobile Mercedes-Benz, dating from 1926 and successfully continuing into the 21st century. His 1885 three-wheeled Benz Patent Motorcar was considered the first practical modern automobile powered by the internal combustion gasoline engine. He received a patent for the motorcar on January 29, 1886, which was the same year he first publicly drove the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. He received a Gold Medal at the 1888 Munich Engineering Exposition for his patent Motorwagen. He completed the first four-wheeled automobile in 1893 and produced the first of a series of racing cars in 1899. In 1900 his first company, Benz & Cie Company, was founded, which was the world's first automobile production company. Born Karl Friedrich Michael Vaillant, he acquired the surname Benz after his parents' legal marriage. Benz was two years old when his father died of pneumonia, leaving him and his mother in poverty. After attending local schools, his scientific talents were soon recognized, and he studied locomotive engineering, like his father, at Karlsruhe's Polytechnic School, graduating in July of 1864. He entered into a business, Factory for Machines for Sheet-metal Working, with a partner. The business was not successful, and his partner left. On July 20, 1872, he married Bertha Ringer, who used her dowry money to support his failing business while he worked to design automobiles. The couple had five children. On August 5, 1888, his wife, without his permission, made a 65-mile trip in his Model #3. She learned from the trip that the brakes needed to be improved. In 1895, he designed his first truck. From 1894 to 1902, Benz produced over 1,200 automobiles. Benz & Cie made 3,480 automobiles in 1904. He founded C. Benz Söhne with his son, who later produced cars that became popular in London as taxis. Eventually, he gave this company to his sons. On his 70th birthday, he was honored with a doctorate degree from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, his old alma mater. In 1926 his company Benz & Cie merged for financial reasons with DMG, making the company Daimler-Benz. He died three years later from respiratory problems. His wife remained in the family home until her death in 1944 and members of the family for another 30 years. His home is considered a historical site and in the 21st century, managed by the nonprofit Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz Foundation. Showing him standing by his three-wheeled automobile, the Carl Benz monument, which was designed by Max Laenger, was dedicated in 1933 and located at Augusta Park in Mannheim. The name "Carl" was used for the monument instead of his "Karl." A replica of the automobile is situated on a platform in front of the monument. A bust of Carl Benz on a high pedestal was erected in 1963 in Karlsruhe.