Some cars leave a paper trail; the Benz type Idéal vis-à-vis left a name, a year — 1897 — and a place in Benz & Cie.'s list. What follows is what can be said with a source behind it.
Its place in the line
Its contemporaries in the catalogue — the De Dion–Bouton De Dion-Bouton tricycle, the Oldsmobile Oldsmobile, the Panhard & Levassor Wagonette M2E CnAM 16715 — show what else the money bought that year. Nearby in the Benz & Cie. catalogue sit the Benz 10/18 PS and the Benz 10/20 PS.
What it costs now
MotorJury scores cars on the United States complaint and recall record, and the Benz type Idéal vis-à-vis has none: too old, too rare, or never sold there. Its value today is a collector's question, decided by provenance and condition rather than by a class average.
The record
The open record for the Benz type Idéal vis-à-vis carries no verified engine, output, weight or price yet. MotorJury does not fill gaps with guesses; this entry gives the model a home in the catalogue and grows as sourced specifications and photographs arrive. Corrections: corrections@motorjury.com.