Nikolaus Otto

My engine is not merely a machine; it is a principle, a new way of converting heat into work.

The four-stroke cycle is the most efficient method for internal combustion, a truth that will stand the test of time.

Simplicity in design is the ultimate sophistication in engineering.

The future of power lies not in steam, but in the direct combustion of fuel within the cylinder.

Every failure is a step closer to success, if one learns from it diligently.

To innovate is to see what everyone else has seen, but to think what no one else has thought.

The internal combustion engine, in its essence, is a controlled explosion, harnessed for the benefit of mankind.

Perseverance is the engine that drives invention.

The greatest challenge in engineering is not to build, but to build efficiently.

I did not invent the engine; I merely perfected its cycle.

The roar of a working engine is music to an inventor's ears.

One must not be afraid to dismantle old ideas to build new ones.

The power of a single idea can change the world.

My work is not for personal glory, but for the advancement of industry and human progress.

The true measure of an invention is its utility.

There is an elegant simplicity in the four strokes: intake, compression, power, exhaust.

To understand the machine, one must first understand the forces of nature it seeks to harness.

The future belongs to those who can make things move.

I have spent my life trying to make fire work for us, not against us.

The greatest joy is to see one's creation come to life and serve a purpose.