Andy Warhol

Benz Coupé Mylord (1901), 1986

The Benz Mylord Coupé of 1900 is an early example of the tradition of manufacturing coupes at Mercedes-Benz, which goes back a long way. The word “Coupe” originally signified a kind of carriage construction – derived from the “Berline”, a travel coach with two rows of seats facing each other, but with the front part “cut” away (French: “couper”). In contrast to the coupes of today, the Benz Mylord Coupé, like its forerunners from the age of the carriage, was driven by a chauffeur and not by the owner. The owner would sit comfortably on a luxuriously upholstered seat, protected from the wind and weather, while the driver sat outside of the interior, exposed to the open air. This construction remained the standard until the early 1930s, and is sometimes described as a “Stadt-Coupé” or “town car” construction. Coupes of the modern type became popular in the early 1930s, and have ever since been regarded as the ultimate in refined style, elegance and luxury.