when was the first car sold

[VanCharles]

The first true automobile intended for personal use was sold in 1888. While Karl Benz patented his three-wheeled "Patent-Motorwagen" in 1886, his wife, Bertha Benz, made the first documented sale to a customer in 1888. This pivotal event didn't just involve a single car; it marked the beginning of the commercial automobile industry.

The vehicle in question was the Benz Patent-Motorwagen Model III. Bertha Benz famously "sold" it to an acquaintance after her own legendary long-distance drive, which served as the world's first real-world test drive and marketing campaign. This Model III featured several improvements over the original 1886 prototype, including a more powerful engine and a two-speed gear system, making it more practical for use.

Feature	Specification
Year of Sale	1888
Vehicle Model	Benz Patent-Motorwagen Model III
Inventor/Manufacturer	Karl Benz
Buyer	French bicycle manufacturer Émile Roger
Engine Type	Single-cylinder, four-stroke
Engine Displacement	1.7 liters
Power Output	Approximately 2 horsepower
Top Speed	~10 mph (16 km/h)
Transmission	2-speed, belt-driven
Number of Wheels	3
Key Improvement	Larger engine and two-speed transmission

This sale was monumental because it validated the automobile as a viable commercial product, not just an inventor's curiosity. It set the stage for the rapid innovation and industrialization that would follow in the 20th century, fundamentally changing personal transportation forever.

[LeMiranda]

If we're talking about a production car sold to the public, you're looking at 1888. Karl Benz built the first car in 1886, but it was his wife, Bertha, who sealed the first real deal a couple of years later. She sold a Model III to a guy named Émile Roger. That was the moment it went from being a weird gadget to an actual product you could buy. Pretty cool that the first sale was basically a family business operation.

[StEmma]

From an engineering perspective, the sale of the 1888 Benz Patent-Motorwagen Model III is the significant milestone. The original 1886 vehicle was a proof-of-concept. The sold model incorporated crucial design iterations, like a more robust engine and a two-speed transmission, which addressed practical limitations. This transition from a prototype to a commercially available machine, however primitive by today's standards, was the true birth of the automotive industry as we know it.