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The newest model from Mercedes comes complete without doors, seat belts, a windshield and one less wheel than other cars, all for about $50,000.

After a 116-year hiatus, Mercedes has resumed production of the original three-wheeled vehicle recognized as the world's first automobile. Resembling a large tricycle and armed with a 0.75 horsepower, single-cylinder engine, the No. 1 Patent Motor Car can reach a top speed of 10 miles per hour, just like the original.

The replicas, built by hand in Germany with period materials, copy the vehicle Carl Benz described in a patent application on Jan. 29, 1886. The cars are not certified for driving on public streets, but can run on regular gasoline -- the only modification from the original design.

Benz made a few modifications to his design before starting production in 1888, building about 25 three-wheelers before moving on to other models. His company eventually merged with Gottlieb Daimler's to form Daimler-Benz, the German ancestor of DaimlerChrysler AG.

Mercedes has taken orders for about 80 of the replicas worldwide, including 32 in the United States, said spokeswoman Maryalice Ritzmann. Most of those orders have gone to Mercedes dealers, but collectors can place orders as well, she said.

"You put this icon of Mercedes-Benz heritage in your dealership and it says it all," Ritzmann said. "The car was invented by the pioneers of our company."

It's not the first time a modern automaker has resurrected its past. Ford Motor Co. has built six replicas of a 1914 Model T in advance of its centennial next year, saying all would be donated to museums.

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