An engineer and designer

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The scene is the Paris-Bordeaux race in 1895. The Benz Vis-à-Vis is owned by Emile Roger, who had already been involved with Benz for several years. He started by selling Benz gas engines in Paris and when in early 1888 he saw one of the first three-wheelers, he immediately recognized its potential. Carl Benz granted Roger the sole selling rights after which Roger set up a factory where he assembled vehicles that he marketed under his own name. In this way he made sure that he became known in France as having invented the motor car. Roger strengthened this impression in his leaflets, describing himself as engineer and designer, without mentioning the name Benz. Carl Benz wasn’t amused and demanded that Roger from then only sold complete vehicles imported from Germany. (photos courtesy Daimler AG) (RB)

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