Chapter 158: Benz One
February 17, 1903 – a street in New York City, USA.
This was originally a small plaza with a steady flow of visitors, but for some reason, it had been temporarily taken over and was now filled with cars of similar design but varying colors.
Even in America's most bustling city, no one had ever seen so many cars parked in one place.
For both Americans and Europeans, cars were still considered luxury items—playthings for capitalists and nobles.
"Hey man, what's going on here? Where did all these cars come from? I doubt even Boss Dance could afford this many!" asked a wide-eyed, youthful man who looked new to the workforce, speaking to a slightly older boy beside him.
"Frank, I told you to read more. Now you see why. A single car costs at least a thousand dollars. To fill this whole plaza? There must be a hundred of them at least! Do you really think Boss Dance has that kind of money?" the older boy replied, visibly annoyed at his companion's cluelessness.
Both of them were factory workers employed by a man named Dance. After a month of continuous labor, they had finally earned a day off.
Their original plan was to visit their usual plaza and grab a drink from the stand that sold a curious beverage called "cola," rumored to have medicinal benefits. After working nonstop, a cold, tasty cola seemed like the perfect way to relax.
But to their surprise, when they arrived, not only was the usual cola stand gone, the plaza itself had been completely taken over by rows of cars.
The once lively plaza was now nearly empty of pedestrians—though more likely because people were afraid to accidentally scratch one of the cars and be held financially responsible.
Cars cost a fortune in those days—thousands of dollars—and even minor repairs could cost dozens or hundreds more.
For the average person, this was unaffordable. A simple scratch could wipe out months of wages.
So, an odd but unsurprising scene had emerged: the plaza itself was deserted, while the roads surrounding it were packed with onlookers. People stared intensely at the sea of cars parked within.
To the crowd, the vehicles were like rows of thousand-dollar checks. If not for the lines of uniformed police guarding the area, this display alone might have triggered unrest.
Just as the murmurs of the confused crowd were growing louder, a group of individuals walked to the center of the plaza and stood before a prepared loudspeaker, smiling broadly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the launch event for the Benz Automobile Factory's new model. This is a synchronized global release, with sales points set up in the United States, the British Empire, Germany, France, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Italy, and Australia," one of them announced.
"Before sales officially begin, please allow me to briefly introduce the background of Benz Automobile Factory and the development process behind our new model."
"Benz Automobile Factory was founded in Germany and is now the largest automobile manufacturer in Australia. All the vehicles you see today are products of a joint venture between Benz and an American company—Benz United Automobile Factory of America. Our factory employs the most advanced production technology, which greatly reduces manufacturing costs and time. We cooperate with multiple countries including the United States, the British Empire, Germany, and Australia. The American plant alone was established with a capital investment of $2.5 million."
"Now, please allow me to proudly introduce our new model—the Benz One."
As this was the model's first public release, the introduction to the vehicle's features and performance took up a great deal of time.
To firmly establish a presence in this purely capitalist country, the spokesperson cleverly emphasized Benz's background, nearly going as far as to claim a triple affiliation with the British Empire, Germany, and Australia.
Even more cleverly, to avoid any American backlash, Benz had secretly acquired an American company and formed a joint venture, creating Benz United Automobile Factory of America.
Although it was nominally a collaboration between an American firm and Australia's Benz Factory, in reality, both companies were owned by the Australian Royal Consortium—that is, by Arthur.
Perhaps it was the mention of such capital and international partnerships that stunned the American onlookers, but even after more than an hour of introductions, very few people left the scene.
That was good news for sales. Even if few in the crowd could actually afford to buy a car, they would spread the word, effectively offering free publicity for Benz.
People murmured among themselves, most impressed by Benz's powerful backing and the new car's specifications. Yet no one actually said they wanted to buy one.
That reflected the current state of the automobile market. Around the world, high-performance cars certainly existed, but the mere word "automobile" implied something expensive and luxurious.
Especially cars of this quality—typically priced at thousands of dollars—were entirely out of reach for the average American.
Some had already begun mocking the event in private. No matter how strong Benz appeared, was it wise to blindly produce so many vehicles without studying the U.S. market first?
Would they really sell these off within a year? Most likely, they'd end up heavily discounted or collecting dust in warehouses.
Filling this entire plaza must have cost a fortune. No matter how wealthy Benz was, that kind of investment had to hurt.
Such skepticism was common. Cars were viewed as toys for the wealthy. In capitalist America, where the rich oppressed the poor with ruthless efficiency, resentment toward wealth was deeply rooted.
Even if Benz was technically a foreign company, it was still owned by the rich, wasn't it?
To many, being rich meant being part of the corrupt capitalist class. Watching capitalists fail was something plenty of Americans would enjoy.
Of course, this wasn't exclusive to America. Globally, the exploitation of common people by the wealthy was commonplace—and would only worsen in the years to come.
"Ladies and gentlemen, now comes the most exciting part. I am about to announce the launch price for the Benz One. Any guesses?" the presenter asked with a smile.
No one answered, and many cast disdainful looks. Everyone already knew cars cost thousands of dollars. Was there even a point in asking?
Still smiling, the man continued, "You may find this price surprising, but it was carefully calculated. I hereby announce the global launch price of the Benz One: 150 pounds, or 750 dollars!"
Seven hundred and fifty dollars? Many in the crowd were shocked, some even found it hard to believe.
Though this was still an unreachable price for most Americans, compared to other cars that easily topped a thousand dollars, the Benz One was relatively affordable.
There were other "cheap" cars in America—but they were often the first attempts of small handcraft workshops. These vehicles had all sorts of issues. Some couldn't even be driven and were only for show.
This cast some doubt over the Benz One. Despite the impressive performance specs, how could a vehicle this good be sold so cheaply?
Sensing the crowd's skepticism, the presenter calmly continued, "Please, do not doubt. We guarantee that every car sold meets the specifications and features we've introduced. If there is any factory defect, we offer a full refund with triple compensation. For post-sale human-caused damage, we also offer one-time low-cost repairs. If the repair costs less than $50, we'll waive it entirely. Of course, this free repair is limited to the first time only. This is our factory's way of showing sincerity to our customers."
But that wasn't the only reassurance. The man continued, "To ensure full customer confidence, if you are serious about purchasing and have sufficient funds, we invite you to test drive our car. You may drive it for free for over ten kilometers. If you are fully satisfied with the experience and data, only then will you proceed with the purchase."
To many Americans, the concept of test-driving was unfamiliar. Since their invention, cars had always been reserved for the wealthy, who never needed to test anything—they simply bought.
Moreover, hand-built cars were incredibly expensive. If something broke during a test drive, repairs could cost hundreds.
This was why car manufacturers never offered test drives. If something went wrong during one, neither the company nor the buyer could afford the consequences.
(End of Chapter)
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