The origin of the species. The very beginnings of the automobile. Where it all started. How it all started. What form the earliest cars took. What if you could experience all of this in one place, at the same time? Say hello to UMS Technologies, India’s smallest carmaker. Nestled in the heart of the bustling city of Coimbatore, where the manufacturing of machines is almost a religion, UMS tech not only recreates the past, it does so with exacting precision and a level of dedication that borders on obsession.

Walk onto the shop floor, just off main street Coimbatore, and you are greeted by finished versions of three icons – the 1899 Stanley Steamer, the 1896 Ford Quadricycle, and the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Each is a faithful replica, crafted with painstaking detail, and together they tell the story of how the automobile was born. It feels like history is coming back to life. 

Give me steam 

The Locomobile, or Stanley Steamer, is perhaps the most theatrical of the trio. Originally powered by naphtha and coal, it relied on steam pressure to drive its pistons. Did you know steam-powered cars predated petrol-powered cars by almost a century?  The replica here, however, has been updated with a diesel burner. Pressure in the ‘boiler’ goes up to around 150-200 PSI, and a gauge on the dashboard (origin of the term) tells you when the car is ready to move. This takes a bit.

Sidebar: steam-powered ships like aircraft carriers sometimes took 12-24 hours to build up a sufficient head of steam before they could start. In the car, once the needle climbs into range, a gentle push on the accelerator sends the vehicle chuffing forward with the rhythm of a steam train. The experience is surreal. Torque is abundant, acceleration is surprisingly brisk, and the soundtrack – a soft, mechanical chuffing – is delightfully addictive. Steering it, however, is a challenge. Without a wheel, only a rudimentary tiller guides the car, reminding me of why the steering rack was one of the most important innovations. Fun fact: none of the three cars here has a steering wheel. For safety, especially considering how quick it is when it builds up a head of steam, UMS Technologies has added motorcycle disc brakes. 

Before the Model T

If the Stanley Steamer is theatrical, the Ford Quadricycle is a burst of youthful energy. Built in 1896, ten years after Karl Benz unveiled his Patent-Motorwagen, it was Henry Ford’s first car, created before he even founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. The replica is faithful to the original, complete with its mid-mounted twin-cylinder engine and bulb-type rudimentary carburettors that mix the fuel and air. The pistons are exposed, with no sump for oil, so lubrication is handled by drip-feed systems. A brass tube connects the pistons to water tanks for cooling, while spark plugs, carburettor, tappets, and valves are all visible, making the engine look like a mechanical marvel, all the running bits visible and exposed.

Driving it is exhilarating. The twin cylinders give it a noticeable boost in speed. Steering is again by a tiller, while a lever operates the throttle, much like one on an aircraft; but in reverse. Pulling the lever back sends the car shooting forward, while pushing it forward slows it down! And yes, Ford even thought to add a horn, making this one of the first cars to have this safety feature. Something else that’s fascinating – this car runs on E100 or pure ethanol. However, there’s no blue roundel or Ford badge. This car came before the Ford Motor Company, remember. 

Prime petroleum  

The Benz Patent-Motorwagen, however, is the granddaddy of them all. Widely regarded as the first petrol-powered car, it was unveiled in 1886 and changed the course of history. While steam vehicles had existed since the 1760s, Benz’s creation was revolutionary: a single-cylinder, horizontal piston engine mounted on a tricycle frame. The replica here is almost indistinguishable from the original. Austrian white ash has been imported for the woodwork, just as Benz used in Germany. Brass fittings, carburettors, pistons and connecting rods are all crafted in-house, from the same materials that were used on the original. Even the massive wheels with hard-rubber tyres are made at the factory in Coimbatore, cast and assembled with meticulous care, as we stand and watch. 

Operating the Motorwagen is an exercise in patience. The wooden box houses the battery and electrics, while the crankshaft and piston lie horizontally. A pulley system drives the camshaft, with pushrods for intake and exhaust valves. The engine is started by spinning the horizontally placed ‘fly wheel’, and the car starts with a soft and faint put-put-put, white smoke softly escaping from the rear. 

Sat high up, you control acceleration and braking with a single lever; push forward to accelerate or pull back to brake. On the road, it feels fragile and threatens to tip over at times. Unless you push the throttle open, even gentle slopes are a challenge. And then there’s some overrun, so you often need to pump the lever to give it a burst of power. In addition, the ride is harsh, the suspension rocks you and larger bumps simply toss you and threaten to flip the tricycle. But every chug of the piston, every few metres you cover remind you that this is where petrol motoring began. 

Recreating history

What makes these replicas remarkable is not just their historical accuracy, but the fact that they are built entirely in-house. UMS Technologies casts its own parts – cylinder heads, crankshafts, flywheels, carburettors – 20km away, then assembles them here. Brass, steel, gunmetal and Austrian ash are all shaped into components that mirror the originals. The workshop even uses a Carl Zeiss measuring machine to check tolerances on the Benz cylinder head – something Karl Benz himself could never have imagined in 1886. And the company doesn’t stop at cars. It also builds engines for drones and RC planes, ranging from single-cylinder 100cc units to seven-cylinder radial engines. Precision, craftsmanship and innovation coexist in this tiny factory, proving that scale is not a prerequisite for excellence. It even makes small turbine engines, complete with flames emitted from the rear and afterburners. 

In an era dominated by SUVs, EVs and autonomous driving, why do these replicas matter? Because they remind us of where it all began. They show us the ingenuity of pioneers who built cars, they highlight the evolution of engineering, from steam to petrol, from tillers to steering wheels, from drip-feed lubrication to blade batteries. 

India’s smallest carmaker has achieved something extraordinary. By recreating the Stanley Steamer, the Ford Quadricycle and the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, it has preserved the earliest DNA of the automobile and shown us what it must have been like to drive and be transported by these machines. Even better, if you want to own one of these, each of them is on sale. 

*Domestic market discount 20-25 percent

No steering required 

Driving these three, you get a sense of what the pioneering days of motoring must have been like. You sit exposed, as on a carriage, and looking at this set here, that’s what they really are – horseless carriages. In the Patent-Motorwagen, you pump the accelerator and brake repeatedly, coaxing the car up inclines and slowing it down with a wooden lever. It feels awkward at first, but soon you get the hang of it. The ride is rough, but the sense of history is overwhelming. In the Stanley Steamer, you wait five minutes for pressure to build, then glide forward with effortless torque. The chuffing soundtrack is addictive, and the acceleration surprisingly rapid. Steering with a tiller is tricky, but the experience is joyous. In the Ford Quadricycle, performance takes centre stage. The twin cylinders deliver speed, the ethanol tank nods to sustainability, and the bell-like horn adds a touch of practicality. It feels like the first step toward the modern automobile. Together, they offer a time jump into motoring’s infancy.

How these cars are made in India

All basic parts for the engines are cast or machined either in-house or by a local supplier; for the Benz, the same imported ash wood as the original is used; the spokes and big wheels are made by hand; cylinder and sleeve made to the same spec as the originals; UMS also makes cylinder radial engines for drones and model planes – a nine-cylinder radial and a turbine, among the many.

Interview with GD Gopal, UMS Technologies

Why build replicas of cars that are more than a century old?

Because they are the roots of motoring. Everyone knows the latest SUVs or EVs, but very few have seen where it all began. By recreating the Stanley Steamer, the Ford Quadricycle and the Benz Patent-Motorwagen, we’re preserving history in a way people can touch, feel and drive.

How difficult is it to manufacture these cars from scratch?

Extremely difficult. We cast our own cylinder heads, crankshafts and carburettors. Even the woodwork is done here using Austrian ash, just like the originals. Every part is measured, machined and finished by hand. It’s not about mass production; it’s about precision and authenticity.

What’s next?

We’ll keep building history. And maybe inspire the future too.