Mercedes and R/GA Share Beautiful Real Life Story of the First Drive...Ever

Imagine being the first driver in the first car plowing through rural Germany in 1888. No manual or AAA. Just open air, fearlessness, and - true story – a garter to make any urgent repairs.

To celebrate a culture of firsts and the 130th anniversary of the first drive, Mercedes Benz and R/GA created “The First Driver,” a film about little known heroine, automotive pioneer Bertha Benz.

The film, released August 12 on Mercedes Benz’s social channels, not only tells the story of the first car, but the powerful woman behind it. 

'The First Driver' tells the story of how Bertha Benz, wife of automobile inventor and eventual Mercedes Benz founder, Karl Benz, challenged popular opinion of what was possible to trek over 60 miles across Germany in an impromptu roadshow to showcase the automobile.

Bertha’s drive singlehandedly kickstarted the auto industry, her feedback from the trek improving the design and development of later Benz models and shaping vehicle production en masse. In partnership with production company Normal Content, R/GA and Mercedes Benz created this film to celebrate the automaker’s innovative legacy and culture as fearless forerunners.